Biscotti

Every Christmas I like to bake some kind of goodies to pass out to my neighbors. It usually always consist of Boscotti. I enjoy making this Italian cookie. There are so many differnt flavors you can do. 

Biscotti is an Italian cookie- meanining "twice baked". 

Twice baked is exactly what it is. 

I use a basic recipe and add something different each time. So far my favorite is still the basic biscotti with Anise and vanilla flavoring. Then I add in some peacans, almonds or walnuts. I go nuts over nuts. I like them thrown into everything. 

 

This year besides the basic Pecan Biscotti, I made a batch of peppermint vanilla Biscotti. They turned out beautiful. Almost perfect I must say. After they cooled, I drizzeled them with white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy. My daughter said these will be perfect dipped in hot chocolate. I think shes right.

 

Speaking of chocolate, I also made a batch of chocolate Biscotti. I was dissapointed in the way these turned out. They came out too thick and crumbly with a slight gooey texture in the center. I knew I shouldn't have added the extra chocolate chips to them. Needless to say, they turned out ugly. I was ready to toss them in an old cookie jar and not share them. Then I drizzled them white chocolte I had left over from the mint ones. 

Hmmmm , ok so they dont look THAT bad. I went ahead and boxed them with the rest to give away. After all, the other ones were so pretty, the chocolate ones will just proove that they cant always be perfect. Not always. 

 

I will take a walk around the block and gives these away tonight as I wish them all a Merry Christmas. 

Vanilla Peppermint Biscotti

Ingredients 

6 Tablespoons butter

2/3 cup sugar

Dash of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 large eggs

2 cups all all purpose flour

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease one large cookie sheet.

Beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, mint, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Mix the flour in (on low speed) and mix until smooth.

Place dough onto the prepared baking sheet and shape into one large or two small logs.

The dough is sticky so use a spatchla to shape and smooth the dough.

Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Reduce the heat to 325F.

Let the dough cool some and cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Separate the biscotti slices and lay them on their side.

Bake for 15 minutes. Flip them over and bake another 15 minutes.

Place on a rack to cool and store in an airtight container.