Biscotti
and variations on Biscotti

There is a lot of flexibility in making Biscotti.  I use the following basic recipe and change some of the ingredients for varied flavors. 

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold butter
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
pearl or raw sugar

Variations:
substitute walnuts or pistachios for almonds
or add 1 cup semisweet-chocolate mini chips
or add 1/8 cup finely ground Turkish coffee
   plus 1/4 cup cocoa
   plus 1 tablespoon cream de cocoa liqueur
   plus 1 cup semisweet-chocolate mini chips
or add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
or add 1 tablespoon amoretto liqueur

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. With pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

2. Spoon 1 tablespoon beaten eggs into cup; reserve. Add nuts and vanilla, and remaining beaten eggs to flour mixture; stir until evenly moistened. With hand, knead mixture a few times in bowl until dough forms. 

3. On lightly floured surface, with floured hands, roll dough into a 16-inch roll and place on a large cookie sheet. Press down to about about 5-inchs wide. With pastry brush, brush tops and sides of log with reserved egg. Sprinkle with sugar or additional sliced almonds. Bake logs 25-35 minutes. Cool logs on cookie sheet 10 minutes. 

4. Place log on cutting board and cut warm log crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices on cookie sheets cut side up and bake again for 20 minutes.  Turn each piece over and place back in oven.  Turn oven off and allow biscotti to dry out for another 20 minutes. Cool completely on sheets on wire racks. (Biscotti will harden as they cool.) Store biscotti in tightly covered container.