What is Biscotti?

Biscotti have become a staple in my house. We have so many different flavors it’s hard to pick just one to eat. So what exactly are biscotti? Similar to large biscuits, biscotti are twice baked cakes made dry and crunchy by cutting the dough while it’s still hot and put back in the oven to bake. Coming in a variety of flavors, these treats make a great snack or dessert. They are best served with coffee or tea to soften the cakes if dipped in, making it easier to eat. My personal favorite is a chocolate biscotti served with green tea and honey.

Depending on the recipe you decide to use, the complexity of making biscotti can vary. I have found recipes that call for mixers or can take well over an hour to bake and prepare.  Looking for a simple recipe that did not require too much time or effort and still had great taste was harder than I thought. After much research, I manage to come across a great recipe. It takes 40 minutes to prepare, and bake and does not require a mixer.

Ingredients

½ cup vegetable or canola oil

1 cup white sugar

3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 table spoon anise extract or 3 drops of anise oil (or ½ teaspoon almond extract and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and anise (or almond and vanilla extract) flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour and baking powder. Stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Slices should be lightly toasted.

This recipe came from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=17241&origin=detail&&Servings=42