Best 4 Basic Biscotti Recipes

MARK BITTMAN'S BASIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated; add extract and beat until incorporated.
• Butter and flour two cookie sheets (or spritz 'em with baking spray; that worked well for me). Divide dough in half and shape each into a "log" about 2" wide. This will spread quite a bit during baking, so if you try to cram 'em on to one baking sheet, bear that in mind.
• Bake until logs are golden and beginning to crack on top. Bittman says this is 30 minutes; for me, it was closer to 25 minutes. (At 30 minutes mine were a little overdone.) Remove from oven and drop temperature to 250.
• When loaves are cool enough to touch, slice each into 1/2-inch slices, on the diagnonal. (You can always eat the little nubby ends that are left over!)
• Return the slices to the baking sheets and return them to the oven. Bake at 250 for another 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.
• Cool on wire racks.
• NOTE: Mr. Bittman makes lots of wonderful suggestions for variations. I threw in a cup of chopped blanched almonds and half a cup of currants, and used almond extract. You can throw in any spice you like (cinnamon, anise, nutmeg); a cup of nuts (almonds or hazelnuts); chocolate chips; citrus zest; crystallized ginger; dried fruit -- you can change the flavor of your extract to match. You can also wait until your biscotti are cool, and then top 'em with a chocolate glaze (4 oz. good chocolate mixed with 2 tablespoons butter and a little extract for flavoring).
• Enjoy!

BASIC BISCOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

• Cream together oil and sugar; beat in eggs and then vanilla. Add sifted flour and remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
• Fold in fruits or nuts or other ingredients if you are adding any.
• Flour your hands so the dough doesn't stick to you and form 2 loaves or "flat logs" on a cookie sheet making them the width of cookie you want.
• Bake the loaves at 375 deg. F for 15 minutes then lower temperature to 300 deg. F and bake for 30 minutes. When the loaves are nicely browned on the outside, take them out of the oven.
• Using a bread knife, slice loaves into individual cookies about 1/2 to 3/4" thick. Place freshly cut biscotti on the cookiesheet on their side and put back into the oven for 5 minutes on each side to crisp up.
• Yummy treat.

BASIC BISCOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Please read through the entire recipe first to decide which flavor you want to make, there are some that require substitutions. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
• 2. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• 3. Combine flour and baking powder, stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Works best if done by hand.
• 4. This is where you would add in your favorite things, get creative!
• 5. For Cherry Chocolate Chip: add 1/2 cup chopped marichino cherries and 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips(you may substitute Almond extract for the vanilla) Drizzle with white chocolate after cooled!
• 6. For Triple Chocolate: substitute 1/3 cup unsweeteded cocoa powder for 1/4 cup of the flour in the recipe. Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and 1/2 cup walnuts. Drizzle with white chocolate when cooled.
• 7. For Apple Pie Biscotti: Substitue 1 T. apple cider for the vanilla. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1/3 cup slivered almonds.
• 8. For Almond Joy Biscotti: substitute Almond extract for the vanilla,add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, 1/3 cup coconut. Drizzle with chocolate when cooled.
• 9. Shape into 16 x 3 x 3/4 inch loaf. Place onto baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm. cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet.
• 10. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1/2 inch slices. Lay slices on their side, and bake for 10 minutes on each side or until firm. Cool completely.

BASIC ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Sift flour and measure. Resift with sugar and baking powder onto a flat surface. Cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Make a well in flour and break eggs into it. Add vanilla, and knead dough well for about 5 minutes until it is smooth, adding a little more flour if dough seems to soft and sticky.
• Pinch off bits of dough about the size of an apricot, and form into desired shapes. Cookies may be baked as rings, strips, or in letters, such as S.
• Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet and bake in hot 450 degree F (230 degrees C) oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Watch carefully, because they burn easily.