Biscotti is a sliced double baked cookie.

Biscotti is a loose term because true biscotti are free of butter and oil. Leaving out the butter or oil makes them very hard and crunchy and not the best for eating but wonderful for dunking in certain libations or coffee. Old world true biscotti are made with almonds and pine nuts and are free of butter or oil.

I liked one of Chef Giada De Laurentis’s recipes for biscotti and it a very good recipe but I tweaked it slightly. The biggest change might be using bread flour instead of regular all-purpose flour. I like the crispier texture that you get with the bread flour and I also double cooked the cookie longer. I also chose to change the flavor by not using chocolate chips and using anise seed as the flavor. These cookies aren’t too sweet and have half the butter in the recipe as a typical cookie. The texture is crisp but not too dry and wonderful for eating.

This recipe makes about 33 cookies they last for weeks in a sealed bag or container and they also freeze well too.

Ingredients to make about 33 cookies about 33 servings

2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 4oz. stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)

2 XL eggs beaten

1 teaspoon anise seeds

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

You will need a baking sheet and silicon mat. (I hand mix everything with a fork)

In a medium bowl mix the butter and sugar well. Add beaten eggs and mix well again.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.

Set in the refrigerator at least half an hour up to the next day.

Mold the dough into two logs on your silicon covered baking sheet.

Bake 25 minutes at 350 F

After 25 minutes they should look like this.

Pull them out of the oven and let them cool. (about a half hour)

Now get a bread knife and make 1/2 inch slices. (I think it’s easier if you are very gentle and lightly glide the knife threw in a sawing motion)

Lay the cookies going the same way in three rows on your baking sheet and turn your oven down to 300 degrees F.

Put the cookies in for 15 minutes.

Turn down the oven to 275 degrees F.

Take the cookies out and let them cool a little till you can handle them and turn them over to crisp the other side. Put the cookies in for another 15 minutes. Pull them out and enjoy!

These are forking great! I think every one will love them.