Charlie and I both like biscotti, so I decided to make some. The first batch I made with a recipe we didn’t like so much: It was more time-consuming than it needed to be and didn’t come out nicely. But here’s its picture, because it was good, anyway.
It has pistachios in. Me, I liked it, but Charlie is more of a purist. So I made another batch, this one with orange peel and orange extract in. Also good, but not as interesting visually.
ANYWAY, basic recipe from The Laughing Spatula, where it was Lemon Biscotti:
Biscotti
- 6 TBSP vegan margarine
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- TBSP fresh grated orange rind or tsp dried
- 1 tsp or less orange extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease or line with parchment one large baking sheet.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, rind, extracts, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour until the dough is smooth but sticky.
“Plop” the dough [I love that!] onto the prepared baking sheet. Shape it into a log that’s about 13″ long x 3″ wide x 3/4″ thick. Straighten the log, and smooth its top and sides; a wet spatula or wet bowl scraper works well here.
Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 325F.
Using a spray bottle filled with room-temperature water, spritz the log, making sure to cover the sides as well as the top. Softening the crust just this little bit will make slicing the biscotti much easier.
Wait another 5 minutes, then use a serrated knife to cut the log crosswise into 1/2″ slices.
Set the biscotti on edge on the prepared baking sheet. Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 30 to 35 minutes, till they feel very dry and are beginning to turn golden around the edges. Remove the biscotti from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.
Sounds like a big deal, but it’s really really easy. You can add whatever flavors and Stuff you like, like different extracts and/or oils, different nuts, fruit, whatever.
They’re crispy, but biteable, not like springerle. Better dunked.
I’m posting at Fatal Foodies today about an old favorite with new toppings.
A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: Write about something hard and fast.
MA
joey
January 9, 2019 at 9:20pmThat’s a bit intense. I make biscotti and it’s much simpler. I’d tell you how, but it’s not got measurements, it’s muscle memory and sight. And as I read that, I realize I sound pedantic and that is not my intent, but like, this is a lot of work and we should get together and I’ll show you and you’ll be like, so relieved lol. You can use not-makin-biscotti time to paint yer nails (haha) or grocery shop (haha!)
I must say, I’d never considered pistachios and now my brain is engaged in possibilities — thank you!
Marian Allen
January 10, 2019 at 9:46amI like your kind of cooking. What’s easier? The mixing or the making?
joey
January 10, 2019 at 9:29pmBoth!