About Biscotti


Biscotti (Italian pronunciation: [bisˈkɔtti]; English: twice cooked), also known as cantuccini (English: coffee bread), are twice-baked cookies (or biscuits) originating in the Italian city of Prato. The biscuits are oblong-shaped almond biscuits, made dry and crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still hot and fresh from baking in the oven.
"Biscotti" is the plural form of biscotto. The word originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning "twice-cooked/baked." It defined oven baked goods that were baked twice, so they were very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Pliny the Elder boasted that such goods would be edible for centuries. Such nonperishable food was particularly useful during journeys and wars, and twice baked breads were a staple food of the Roman Legions.

 This Recipe Makes 60,

Ingredients:


Flour -2 2/3 Cups
Sugar - 1 ½ Cup
Baking Powder - 2 tsp
Vanilla - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Zest of 2 Clementine’s or 1 Orange
Flaked Almonds - 1 Cup
Sweetened dried Cranberries /Raisins / Dried Bluberry - 1Cup
Clementine Juice or Orange Juice - 3 Tbsp
Eggs - 3
Vegetable Oil - 5 Tbsp

Method:


1) Position oven racks in the middle and top of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2) In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder to combine. In a small bowl toss the Clementine zest, the flaked almonds and cranberries with about ¼ cup of the flour mixture. Mix it together well to insure the zest is not in big clumps. Add this mixture to the large bowl of the flour mixture and mix well.

3) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the eggs, oil and Clementine juice and mix to combine well. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine but not over mixing!

4) The dough will be very sticky.

5) Dump dough onto a heavily floured board and divide dough in to 6 equal portions. Roll each piece into a log that’s about 12 inches long, make sure to dust with flour along the way to keep dough from sticking. Set the logs about 3 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet, press gently to flatten each log so that they are about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide. Bake until the logs are golden and firmly near the center, about 25 minutes rotating the baking sheets half way through to insure even baking.

6) Let the logs cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Transfer logs to a cutting board, using a serrated knife, slice them on a sharp diagonal into about ½ inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on the baking sheets, laying cut side down. Return to oven and bake for 7 minutes. Turn the cookies over and rotate the baking sheets and bake for another 9 to 10 minutes or until golden and lightly browned.

7) Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (The cookies will not harden until totally cooled) Enjoy!



Tips:


In baking don't try to change the proportion of ingredients ,try to use the one given in the recipe.

You can just use almonds alone, or replace it with cashews or any other nut according to your preference.