Biscotti

Biscotti is a bar cookie that is very popular in my family. My mom has been making it every Christmas for quite a few years. We usually do a few different types such as chocolate chip, almond and mocha and we do just as the Italians would; we dip our biscotti in Amaretto (Almond liquer). It’s become a sort of tradition.

I made Chocolate and Hazelnut Biscotti.

Here’s the recipe I used in class: (yield 5370 g)

Ingredients

Butter	480 g
Granulated Sugar	1680 g
Eggs	1000 g
Pastry Flour	2160 g
Baking Powder	40 g
Salt	10 g

This is the basic recipe. You can also add:

ü  Nuts or dried fruits: 300 g

ü  Anise Seeds: 10 g

ü  Cocoa: 120 g

ü  Orange or lemon zest: to taste

ü  Cinnamon or any other spice: 5 g

ü  Honey: replace half the sugar with honey, brush with honey

ü  Chocolate: 240 g

*I used 150 g of toasted and chopped hazelnuts and 150 g chocolate chunks.

Method:

      Gather all ingredients and equipment

      Scale ingredients.

      This recipe uses the creaming method. So we start with the butter and sugar. Cream until fluffy.

      Scrape the sides of the bowl often.

      Add eggs slowly, allowing them to incorporate after each addition.

      Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.

      Add flour mixture to egg mixture gradually until it is just incorporated.

      Add hazelnuts and chocolate or whichever flavourings you choose.

      The mixture will be very wet. Don’t be scared!

      Roughly shape the dough into six 450 g logs. Dust with bread flour to prevent from sticking.

      Roll the logs to 3”x10”

      Roll them in parchment paper (it will look like a salami).

      Put the logs into the freezer

      Bake 3 on a full sheet pan at 350°F in convection oven, until golden brown on the edges, 40 minutes.

      Cool for 20 minutes then slice with serrated knife at a diagonal. Lower the oven temperature to about 250°F and bake again until very crispy.

I dipped my biscotti in some chocolate.