ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Pour the flours into a big bowl and make a well in the center large enough to place the sugar, 3 of the 4 eggs, the 2 egg yolks, the baking powder, salt, vanilla and anise seed.
• Gently knead the dough for 5 minutes, This is a hard dough so it needs to be convinced to gather together (I have used my kitchen-aid mixer with the dough hook with good results).
• Slowly add the nuts (almonds are my favorite) and keep on kneading until well incorporated, You may need some additional flour to keep it from sticking to the bowl.
• Butter and flour 2 cookie sheets that are at least 15 inches, Divide the dough into 4 even pieces and roll each one into a log, Place the logs well apart, 2 to each sheet,.
• Beat with the remaining egg and brush the top of the logs with egg.
• Bake the biscotti loaves for 35 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325.
• Slice the biscotti and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes of baking time, Cool on racks.
• Variations: Melt a couple of bars of Gianduia chocolate or any Italian chocolate with nuts or praline in it, melt in a double boiler with a teapsoon of vegetable shortening, Dip half the biscotti into the chocolate and put it on a cooling rack until the chocolate hardens.