When you discover the brilliance of biscotti – the Duke & Duchess of Dunking & Dipping – you will be the brilliant one because you now know a few things about this Italian classic you didn’t know before. 1. They’re like rolling off a log to make – literally, you’ll see! 2. They should be on the short list of figure-friendly treats – how about as many calories as a few of these snack options? 3. They have a shelf life on par with cold storage in the 1800’s – we’re talking months. 4. Not to mention their long and illustrious dunking & dipping history – in coffee, tea, hot chocolate or wine – yes, wine! Enjoy them at breakfast, lunch, dinner – before, during and after – and of course, as is.
They can be flavoured up in dozens of ways, so make up a batch, add what you like, bake, slice and bake again and you’ve got yourself a satisfying crunchy snack for weeks to come or your holiday gift-giving all wrapped up in one fell swoop, you know, with that never-ending shelf-life and all. How about biscotti loaded up with crushed candy canes, just in time for Christmas? So that’s the book on the brilliance of biscotti. Oh, and FYI – it’s 1 biscotto and 2 biscotti – kinda like 1 octopus and 2 octopi, 1 cactus, 2 cacti, 1 half, 2 halves … and speaking of halves, have at it! Ok, I’m done.
click here to jump down to the biscotti with chocolate & hazelnuts recipe
1. Mix the eggs and sugar until well combined.
2. Measure the dry ingredients onto a piece of waxed paper for easy dispensing.
3. Make a funnel with the waxed paper and empty half of the contents into a sieve over the egg mixture.
4. Do it again until you’ve sifted all the dry ingredients into the wet.
5. And start mixing.
6. Until it’s well combined – you will have a loose dough.
7. Get your skinned and roasted hazelnuts ready.
8. Spread half of the dough onto a piece of parchment and shape into a 10″x15″ rectangle – and did I mention parchment is reusable?!
9. Cover the dough with the hazelnuts.
10. Work the other half of the dough over the hazelnuts to bury them.
11. Bye, bye hazlenuts.
12. Using a pastry cutter or knife, reinforce your 10″x15″ rectangle.
13. Like this – and did I mention parchment paper is reusable? Bake 15-20 minutes until firm.
14. Let rest and then slice into thin strips, and if your dough spread uncontrollably – cut them in half lengthways down the rectangle.
15. Lay the pieces cut side down and bake again for another 20 minutes or so until they are dry and crispy.
16. Keep going until you’ve sliced and baked your way to biscotti bliss.
17. Right there – blissful biscotti.
18. Beautiful.
biscotti with chocolate & hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 350°.
1. Remove the skins and roast in a 350° oven for 10 minutes and set aside:
- 1 cup of hazelnuts
2. In a mixing bowl beat until smooth:
- 4 eggs
- 11/2 cup sugar
3. Sift the following onto a piece of waxed paper and funnel into the bowl with the eggs & sugar mixture:
- 21/2 cups of flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1-2 tbsps. instant coffee
- 1 tsp. each baking powder and baking soda
4. Mix all together until you have a soft dough. Divide in 2 and place 1/2 on a parchment-lined baking sheet and shape it into a 10″x15″ rectangle and cover with:
- 1 cup of the prepared hazelnuts
5. Spread the other half of the dough over the hazelnuts to seal and using a pastry cutter and a knife reinforce your rectangle. Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm. Briefly rest and then slice diagonally into thin slices. If they are too long, run your knife lengthways through the rectangle. Arrange cut-side down and bake another 20 minutes until dry and crispy. Allow to cool. Store in an air-tight container.
get creative
Crush sweet biscotti and:
- sprinkle over ice cream
- add to a fruit crisp topping
- stir into waffle or pancake batter
- put in a bowl and top with stewed fruit and whipped cream
Crush savoury biscotti and:
- sprinkle over mashed potatoes
- stir into buttery pasta
- sprinkle over soups or stews
- fold into rice
- add to salads for added crunch
- finish a pizza
the business of biscotti
Biscotti can accommodate as many flavour combinations as you can toss at it – so happy tossing and here are a few biscotti variations to get you warmed up:
sweet biscotti
- the ultimate biscotti recipe guide
- cranberry biscotti
- almond citrus biscotti
- almond ginger biscotti
- butterscotch whole-wheat biscotti
- cherry almond biscotti
- chocolate pistachio biscotti
- cranberry pistachio biscotti
- double chocolate ginger biscotti
- fig walnut biscotti
- gingerbread biscotti
- granola biscotti
- lime cornmeal biscotti
- pecan cranberry biscotti
- pine nut biscotti
- pumpkin biscotti
- triple chocolate biscotti
- turkish delight biscotti
- whole-wheat lemon biscotti
- whole-wheat walnut raisin biscotti
savoury biscotti
- blue cheese & date biscotti
- cheddar chive biscotti
- cheese & rosemary biscotti
- herb & goat cheese biscotti
- olive biscotti
- parmesan black pepper biscotti
- red wine biscotti
- rosemary walnut biscotti
- savoury fennel parmesan biscotti
- sun-dried tomato and basil biscotti