Harvest Biscotti Recipes

BASIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs and add sugar to blend. Add salt. Sift flour and baking powder and add all at once to eggs. Stir just to blend. Add flavoring or garnish. Spoon mixture lengthwise onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or greased. Spoon into a "log", shape as wide as you choose, the width of the "log" will determine the length of the cut biscotti. Make as many "logs" as you have mix. Allow logs to sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature before baking. Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until center of log springs back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly. Cut logs into strips crosswise. Standard is about 1/2 inch. Place each biscotti cut side down onto cookie sheet lined with parchment or lightly greased. Bake again for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned on edges. Cool thoroughly, then store in airtight container;
• For Hazelnut: 2 cups roughly chopped, sliced, or whole hazelnuts .
• For Lemon/Poppy: grated rind of three lemons, 1 teaspoon poppy seeds .
• For Ginger: 1 1/2 cups chopped crystallized (candied) ginger.

HARVEST BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sweet potato and vanilla; beat until blended.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in pecans. Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each portion into a 10" x 6" log on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet; remove to a wire rack, and cool to the touch. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
• Cut each log crosswise into 1/2"-thick slices with a serrated knife. Place slices, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 325° for 15 minutes; turn slices over and bake 15 more minutes. Turn slices upright, and return to oven. Turn oven off, and leave in oven 15 minutes or until dry. Cool completely on wire racks.
• Note: You can sweeten the flavor or change the length of this biscotti.
• For a sweeter treat, dip biscotti in vanilla-flavored candy coating. Here's how: Melt coating, 8 ounces at a time, in an 11" x 7" baking dish in the microwave according to the package directions. Dip each biscotti, cut side down, into melted coating. Place biscotti, dipped side up, on wax paper until coating is hardened.
• For long biscotti, carefully cut each log lengthwise into 1/2"-thick slices after the first baking. Yield: 1 1/2 dozen.

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
• The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in re-sealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

CLASSIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, anise seeds, salt, and nuts. Transfer to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add eggs; beat until a stiff dough comes together, about 3 minutes.
• Divide dough in half. Form each half into a 12-inch log. (Dough may be sticky; dampen your hands for easier handling.) Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten so each log is 13 inches long, 2 1/4 inches wide, and 3/4 inch thick.
• Brush logs with beaten egg and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until firm and very pale golden, about 35 minutes. Let cool on pans on a wire rack, 40 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Using a serrated knife with a sawing motion, cut logs into slices slightly thicker than 1/4 inch. Arrange, cut-side up, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until dry to touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on pans on racks, 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.