Jul 27 2008
Basic Biscotti
Basic Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
6 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 cubes butter, softened
1 ¾ cups sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Pour into the flower mixture and mix thoroughly. When it becomes difficult to stir, knead with your hands.
Divide the dough into four parts, rolling each piece into a loaf about 14 inches long. Place the loafs on parchment lined cookie sheets, 2 loaves to a pan. Flatten the loaves with your hands to about 3 inches thick. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the 350 degree oven.
When the loaves are cooled so they are just warm to the touch, cut diagonally, with a serrated knife, into ½ inch slices. Lower the oven to 325 degrees. Place the slices onto the cookie sheets so that the sides of the cookie shows on the left and right - the bottom of the cookie is down on the pan. This way the biscotti will toast evenly on both sides. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.
Variations
Feel free to use your creativity.
* Change the vanilla extract to another flavoring or use a combination.
* Add any kind of chopped nuts you like.
* Add chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips (add some peanut butter in exchange for some of the butter), white chocolate chips.
* Add dried fruit: dried cranberries, dried apricots, raisins.
* Add ½ cup cocoa powder for chocolate biscotti or 2 tablespoons instant coffee graduals for a coffee taste.
