Biscotti is so easy to make and so inexpensive
 

I have been making my own Biscotti for years. It's so easy. It makes a terrific food gift.

Here is the basic recipe. I add dried cranberries, nuts, dip in melted chocolate etc. Do not use artificial almond or lemon flavoring. That stuff has an awful flavor. Use the real a extract. Real vanilla doesn't matter if you are heating it. In a national test chefs couldn't tell baked goods using imitation from real vanilla. Other artificial or imitation flavors had a big difference. Save you money to buy the real almond and lemon. I use real vanilla bean extract only in non baked foods and artificial in most all baked goods.

Biscotti

The ingredients:

3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 cups of sifted flour
4 eggs
2 tsp of baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds can add 1 cup dried berries (soaked in hot water for 5 min. and patted dry)

The process:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl at medium speed until well blended. The
consistancy will be sticky and like most cookie dough. This takes about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle some flour on a board, rub your hands with flour, and place dough on board.
Knead the dough lightly, and keep sprinkling with flour until dough is smooth and
only slightly sticky.
Cut the dough in half, and roll out to the size of 4 by 12 inches,
and about 1/2 inch thick. Do the same with the remaining dough.
Place both rolled out biscotti on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees f .
Remove from oven, and cut each biscotti into slices 1/2 inch thick. This must be done while the
dough is hot. You will end up with about 40 biscotti. Turn each slice on its side and
bake again at 425 degrees f. for 3 minutes. This will toast the biscotti, and make
them nice and crunchy. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. Dip Biscotti in melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed nuts if desired.

Yum. I hope I can find time before the New Year to bake a tray of these. Thank you for sharing. :)

Judy in Phx, AZ

I think I might try this recipe too. I love biscotti with my coffee.

I have to say one thing though. Imitation vannila is a petroleum (sp?) based product. I wouldn't dare use it after finding that out.

Thanks. I will have to try it. My Christmas specialty is Baklava. I have been making it for over 30 years. Can't believe it has been that many years. Where does the time go?

I agree but also because the flavor breaks down. It's just not the same as the real stuff. I get the good stuff at a wholesale club and it last for a long time and the price is worth it. I love making biscotti, there are so many recipes and ways of doing it. I put a little oil on freezer paper and turn the dough out on it (which was made in my Kitchen Aid so no kneeding is needed), or extra flour which can make it tough if too much is added.The freezer paper makes shaping it into logs really easier and less messy. Every yr I teach others to make them at our anual cookie bake. I also have recipes made from brownie mix with added ingredients and also using Betty Crocker cookie mixes (the ones in the bag). There are so many recipes and ways to make them and even the baking directions vary alot. When I make them for one friend I don't do the second baking as long because she doesn't like them as hard as they are supposed to be. My favorite ones are lemon and pinenuts, white chocolate chips and mac nuts, and cranberries, pistachios and white chocolate. I also have a recipe where you use an herb mixture for a more savory biscotti. A lot of Italian recipes use cornmeal in theirs. The possiblilites are endless when it comes to these little goodies. A little history on them; they were originally created to dip into wine and not coffee.

It sounds delicious and looks very easy, maybe I'll try it. Thanks for the recipe.

daughters love chocolate biscotti. me I'm an almond girl. chocolate chip is a fave here too.

Brownie biscotti is one of my all time favorite chocolate items. Yuuuu...mmmy!

I have a similar recipe. I sometimes add mini chocolate chips and/or chopped hazelnuts, dried cranberries and pistachios are a good combo also. I have to say, however, I only use real vanilla. I find the imitation has a funny taste. But, maybe that's just me.