Best Plain Biscotti Recipes

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 165 degrees C ).
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time; beat until fluffy. Stir in the anise and vanilla extracts. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; Add them to the egg mixture along with the chopped almonds. Stir with a spoon and as the dough comes together, Knead by hand.
• Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each piece into a log about 15 inches long. Place logs onto cookie sheets, 2 to a sheet, the long way. Flatten the logs out until they are about 3 inches wide with a slight hump going down the middle. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, loaves should be firm. Cut the loaves into diagonal slices 1/2 inch wide, place the slices onto the cookie sheets and return to the oven. Toast on one side, then turn them over to do the other side. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes.

BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and anise flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When The cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Slices should be lightly toasted.

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.

PLAIN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
• Mix the last 4 ingredients in a different bowl.
• Blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
• Divide the dough into 3 balls and knead 5 or 6 times.
• Add extra ingredients as desired, maintaining a slightly sticky consistency.
• Compensate for dryness by adding a little milk or unsweetened applesauce.
• Compensate for wetness by adding flour or more of a dry ingredient.
• Place each ball on a piece of wax paper covering a 11"x17" standard cookie sheet.
• With floured hands, shape each ball into a 9 inch mound as far from each other as possible and flatten slightly.
• Bake for 25 minutes on a rack one level up from center of oven.
• Remove from loaves from the wax paper and place on a cutting board.
• With a sharp serated knife, cut 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide slices across the loaf at a slight diagonal.
• Lay the pieces on one side on a 2 layer cookie sheet.
• Bake on a rack in the center of the oven for 10 minutes.
• Turn the slices over and bake until lightly browned-5 to 7 minutes.

PLAIN BASIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Roll your dough into logs on a surface that you've lightly covered in powdered sugar. If you roll the dough in flour, the biscotti will lose some sweetness.
• Bake the logs at 350°F for 15 minutes, just until firm to the touch. Allow the logs to cool and then using a serrated knife, slice them into ½-inch slices on the diagonal.
• Turn your oven down to 300°F and bake them again for 10 to 15 minutes, until they're dry and lightly toasted, but don't let them burn.
• If you don't have the time to do both baking processes in the same day, the half-baked logs can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then just slice and bake them.