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Biscotti is one of those Italian creations that is as good in the morning as a breakfast biscuit as it is after dinner as a cookie. Twice-baked, crunchy, with hints of vanilla and almond, these biscotti are perfect on their own or for dipping in a warm tasty beverage.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Beat in the eggs; the batter may look slightly curdled. At low speed of your mixer, add the flour, stirring until smooth; the dough will be sticky.
Plop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Divide it in half, and shape it into two 9 1/2″ x 2″ logs, about 3/4″ tall. Straighten the logs, and smooth their tops and sides.
Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven.
Using a spray bottle filled with room-temperature water, lightly but thoroughly spritz the logs, making sure to cover the sides as well as the top. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Wait 5 minutes, then use a sharp chef’s knife to cut each log crosswise into 3/4″ slices.
Set the biscotti on edge on the prepared baking sheet. Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 25 – 30 more minutes, until they feel very dry and are beginning to turn golden. Remove the biscotti from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.