Source: Italian Cooking Class Cookbook by Edt. of Consumer Guide
Makes 24 servings.
Preparation time: 2 hours
Tips: Bob's first choice biscotti.
Ingredients
Preparation
4 ounces whole blanched almonds
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick= 1/2 cup), room temperature
3 large whole eggs, room temperature)
2 tablespoons brandy or anise liquor
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon whole anise seeds
1. Heat oven to 375 F degrees. Place almonds in small baking pan. Bake until light brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer almonds to plate; let cool.
2. Chop almonds coarsely. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in medium mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl. Stir in liquor and the lemon peel. Add flour mixture; stir until smooth. Stir in almonds and anise seeds. Dough will be soft and stick. Refrigerate dough covered 1 hour or overnight to firm and blend flavors.
3. Heat oven to 375 F degrees. Grease 1 large baking sheet. Divide dough in half. Place half the dough in a long piece of plastic wrap, if dough appears too sticky, dust plastic with flour. With the aid of the plastic, roll dough to form a 12x2-inch log. Built the log tall and narrow, sides straight up, it will flatten as it bakes. Dough will be fairly soft. Place log on one side of baking sheet, remove plastic. Pat surface smooth with lightly floured fingertips. Repeat with remaining half of dough to form second log. Bake until logs are light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not turn oven off.) Cool logs completely on baking sheet on wire rack.
4. Reduce oven setting to 350 F degrees. Cut logs diagonally with serrated knife into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place slices flat in single layer on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes. Turn slices over; bake until cut surfaces are light brown and cookies are dry, 10 to 12 minutes longer. Remove cookies from baking sheets to wire racks; cool completely. Cookies will keep for several weeks in tightly covered container.
OPTIONAL: coat one side of cookies with melted chocolate, see note (1).
Dip cooled cookie, flat bottom side edge into the melted chocolate. Place cookie on Teflon sheet, wax paper or aluminum paper to set. Chocolate will take few hours to set depending of room temperature
NOTES :1) To melt chocolate, place in double boiler at low heat until chocolate melts. Do not let chocolate to over heat, chocolate starts to get solid and stick to plate when too hot. Alternative method: place chocolate in pieces no larger than 3/4-inch in a bowl. With oven OFF and oven light ON, place bowl inside oven close to light. The heat form the light will melt 1 pound of chocolate in about 3 hours or plan ahead and leave in oven overnight.
2) Biscotti are dry and crumbly, not hard to bite.
Makes about 24 cookies.
Biscotti Anise
Anise Seeds-Almond Italian Cookie
