We say cookie, Italians say biscotti. Biscotti are really cookies, baked twice to give them that hard crunch. Italians typically serve biscotti with vin santo, an Italian dessert wine; we usually serve them with a coffee drink like a cappuccino or latte and dunking makes both even better!
![small_[217x217]ER_BISCUT.jpg](http://www.villaggioceramics.com/blog/small_%5B217x217%5DER_BISCUT-thumb-150x150.jpg)
Biscotti are really easy to make and lasts for weeks in a beautiful Italian Majolica biscotti jar.
You can leave it plain, or dip it in chocolate (I do!) to make a really decadent treat. Here's one of my favorite recipes from Lidia's cookbook:
Lidia's Biscotti
Makes 48 cookies
6 cups cake or all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup anisette
2 cups peeled and toasted whole almonds or hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 15 x 11-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Stir the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Beat the butter with a handheld electric mixer until creamy. As you continue beating, add the sugar gradually, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the anisette. Pour the dry ingredients and almonds into the bowl, switch to a wooden spoon, and stir until the dough is smooth.
Divide the mixture into two equal portions. Shape each into a loaf 12 inches long by 3 inches wide, making the sides and top even and smooth. Place the loaves side by side on the parchment-lined jellyroll pan, leaving at least 2 inches between them and 1 inch between each loaf and the side of the pan. Bake until loaves are golden and the tops spring back when lightly poked with a finger, about 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool the loaves until barely warm but still soft enough to cut, about 30 minutes.
![small_[217x217]ER_BISCUT2.jpg](http://www.villaggioceramics.com/blog/small_%5B217x217%5DER_BISCUT2-thumb-150x150.jpg)
Slice the loaves crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide cookies. Lay the cookies on their side and bake until evenly golden brown and very firm, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Biscotti can be stored in colorful Italian Majolica biscotti jar for up to 2 weeks.
Visit www.lidiasitaly.com for more Italian cooking resources.
Biscotti are really easy to make and lasts for weeks in a beautiful Italian Majolica biscotti jar.
You can leave it plain, or dip it in chocolate (I do!) to make a really decadent treat. Here's one of my favorite recipes from Lidia's cookbook:
Lidia's Biscotti
Makes 48 cookies
6 cups cake or all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup anisette
2 cups peeled and toasted whole almonds or hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 15 x 11-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Stir the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Beat the butter with a handheld electric mixer until creamy. As you continue beating, add the sugar gradually, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the anisette. Pour the dry ingredients and almonds into the bowl, switch to a wooden spoon, and stir until the dough is smooth.
Divide the mixture into two equal portions. Shape each into a loaf 12 inches long by 3 inches wide, making the sides and top even and smooth. Place the loaves side by side on the parchment-lined jellyroll pan, leaving at least 2 inches between them and 1 inch between each loaf and the side of the pan. Bake until loaves are golden and the tops spring back when lightly poked with a finger, about 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool the loaves until barely warm but still soft enough to cut, about 30 minutes.
Slice the loaves crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide cookies. Lay the cookies on their side and bake until evenly golden brown and very firm, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Biscotti can be stored in colorful Italian Majolica biscotti jar for up to 2 weeks.
Visit www.lidiasitaly.com for more Italian cooking resources.
Leave a comment