Baking Gourmet Biscotti is Fun and Easy
A couple of years ago, I was introduced to someone who baked biscotti. I loved the idea of the Italian biscotti cookie that she was making, but thought I could do better. So I started to research biscotti cookie recipes.
What I learned was that there aren't a lot of biscotti recipes available and I wanted to try to bake more variations. So I started making up my own recipes by adding and subtracting different ingredients.
Biscotti can be made in an infinite number of flavors: almond, vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, anise, lemon, chocolate chip and just about any flavor you can think of.
I found a basic recipe that I work from, then change the ingredients to get the flavor combinations that I desire. Here is the basic recipe for biscotti.
Better Than Nonni's Biscotti
Baking biscotti
Here is my favorite basic biscotti recipe. It is so simple to make and doesn't take long either. The main thing is look for certain signals in the recipe as it is baking and change the recipe to your taste.Basic Recipe:
1/2 cup butter (use real butter--it is worth it)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Liqueur--my favorite is Kahlua or Frangelico
1/4 teaspoon vanilla (use the real stuff)
2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (or if your butter is salted-just a pinch)
1 cup of nuts--I prefer pistachios, almonds, or hazelnuts
4 oz of bittersweet chocolate or 1 cup of dried fruit that has been soaked in a tablespoon of vodka
A note about the nuts: I like to buy the nuts raw and then toast them in my oven. I toast them at 350 between 6 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the nuts. I think they taste better and they are healthier than roasted nuts. Do not use salted nuts.
A note about the fruit: I like a tart fruit because it blends well with the sweetness of the dough. You only need to soak the fruit for a few minutes while you are mixing the rest of the dough.
Directions: Toast your nuts first. They should be cool before you mix them in. Depending on your preference, you can chop them in your food processor or by hand or leave them whole.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and liqueur and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until well blended. Fold in nuts, fruit and/or chocolate.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Create a loaf (in a baquette or hot dog shape) on the parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven between 25 and 40 minutes. In my old oven it took 25. In my new one it takes at least 35. The surface of the loaf should be lightly browned when you take it out. Let cool for a minimum of 10 minutes. If you have chocolate, cool longer.
Slice crossways to create individual biscotti. Stand the biscotti up on the bottom edge (as if they were still in the loaf) with some space between them. Then bake again at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool. If you like them drier or harder bake longer the second time.

Biscotti Flavor Combinations
Add any that you love.
Here are some of the endless list of flavor combinations that I have used.
Chocolate Cherry Biscotti
I added powdered cocoa and ground chocolate to the more...2 points
Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
My favorite way to make this is to grind the choco more...2 points
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Wonderful flavor with either Vodka or Grand Marnie more...1 point
Almond Biscotti
I prefer vanilla almond, but you can use almond ex more...1 point
Vanilla Almond Biscotti
This is the basic biscotti. I like to chop the alm more...0 points
Almond Hazelnut Biscotti
This has both nuts and vanilla and either Kahlua o more...0 points
Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Use a vanilla base and add chopped chocolate or mi more...0 points
More Biscotti Recipes
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Great Biscotti Cookbooks
I have them all
Biscotti & Other Low Fat Cookies: 65 Tempting Recipes for Biscotti, Meringues, and Other Low-Fat Delights
Amazon Price: $11.96 (as of 11/27/2009) ![]()
Usually ships in 24 hours
The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book: From Chocolate Melties to Whoopie Pies, Chocolate Biscotti to Black and Whites, with Dozens of Chocolate Chip Cookies and Hundreds More
Amazon Price: $14.49 (as of 11/27/2009) ![]()
Usually ships in 24 hours
How To Make Biscotti
The Perfect Match For Biscotti--Coffee of course!
My second favorite food after chocolate
BiscottiAnd if you make your biscotti right, the coffee, milk, or tea that you dip it in will enhance the flavor of the cookie. And believe it or not, lowfat biscotti are one of the most healthy cookies for you because they do not have a lot of fat, and they usually have fiber from the fruit and nuts that you add.
Here are a few coffee tips that I have learned over the years about coffee:
Keep your coffee in a sealed container that is in a dark room temperature cabinet. Putting it in the freezer adds moisture to it and lessens the flavor.
Buy your beans whole and grind them per use. This will give you the freshest tasting coffee.
If you can, buy your coffee for no more than a two week use at a time.
Don't Forget to Dip!
You can add to your biscotti yumminess (is that a word?) by dipping them in chocolate, milk, white, or dark!
The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book
The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book: From Chocolate Melties to Whoopie Pies, Chocolate Biscotti to Black and Whites, with Dozens of Chocolate Chip Cookies and Hundreds More
Amazon Price: $14.49 (as of 11/27/2009)![]()
List Price: $16.95
Can you ever have enough chocolate? Not Likely!
Usually ships in 24 hours
Chocolate--Do You Know How to Melt it For Dipping?
Or the Art of Melting Chocolate
Melting chocolate is art. If you don't melt it enough, it is too hard. If you melt it too much, it gets burned and it is not usable. I like to melt my chocolate in the microwave.The best way is to put your chocolate in a small bowl or pitcher. Then heat it for 30 seconds. Wait, then stir. Repeat until it just starts to melt.
Once it starts to melt, the hot chocolate will melt the rest of it. DON'T KEEP HEATING IT! That is how it gets burned.
Then spread, pour or dip to get it on the biscotti. What could be better?
Chocolate Fountain
Rival CFF5 Chocolate Fondue Fountain
Amazon Price: (as of 11/27/2009)![]()
List Price: $59.99
Used Price:
Release Date: 12/31/1969
Are You a Biscotti Fan?
Was Your Nonni a Great Biscotti Baker?
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Reply
- Treasures-By-Brenda Treasures-By-Brenda Nov 23, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
- And oh yes, your biscotti was blessed.
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Reply
- Treasures-By-Brenda Treasures-By-Brenda Nov 23, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
- Do come by and see the new and revamped Culinary Favorites from A to Z group! Your lens is still being featured uner B is for Biscotti.
-
Reply
- clouda9 clouda9 Oct 11, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
- Yum, yum yum! Love your post at Keep the Home Fires Burning!
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Reply
- WhiteOak50 WhiteOak50 Aug 11, 2009 @ 6:44 am
- Wow, I wish we could rate lens again. I remember the first time I visited this lens, these recipes sounds great! Very good lens! (5 stars again if I could)
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Reply
- NaturalMommys NaturalMommys May 7, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
- wow I really l love this lens I am going to lensroll it with my recipe lens!
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