Basic Biscotti

Photo: flickr user I Love Egg

Ingredients

cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons Canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 lrgs eggs, or 1 large egg and 4

cooking spray

1 lrg egg white

2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a heavy or cushioned cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Combine oil, vanilla and eggs and add to flour mixture. This may be done by hand or in an electric mixer, at low speed. Mix until the ingredients are well blended, but be careful not to overdo it or the biscotti will be tough.

Note: If doing one of the variations listed below, add here, before forming the dough into rolls.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead lightly a few times.

Divide the dough into thirds and form into 4 10" rolls (or 2 wider rolls to create extra long dipping biscotti). Place rolls 6" apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and flatten each roll slightly, to 1" in thickness.

Gently brush the tops of the rolls with the egg whites and sprinkle liberally with the cinnamon sugar.

Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Allow rolls to cool for five minutes.

Using a serrated knife, carefully cut each roll diagonally into 18 1/2" slices. Reserve the tiny end slices for snacks.

Place dough slices, bottom-side down, on the baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake 20 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack (so the biscotti don't become soggy as they cool). Biscotti freeze beautifully. When completely cooled, reassemble slices back into a log. Wrap each log tightly in aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to two months.

Biscotti VariationsBiscotti variations take place in step 3 of this recipe. Mix the crunchy ingredients into the dough by hand until they are evenly distributed. Be careful not to over- mix, as this can break up the nuts, smear the color of the fruits into the dough or melt the chocolate. Lots of the variations feature fun toppings that are well worth the trouble. Once you get going with this basic recipe, any dessert concept you find may become your next biscotti.

Variation 1: Dessert in Athens

The rind of 1 lemon1 teaspoon almond extract2 teaspoons anise seeds1 cup slivered almonds1 tablespoon turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top before baking

Variation 2: Breakfast in Tuscany

The rind of one tangerine (optional)

Substitute 1/2 cup yellow corn meal for the last 1/2 cup of flour 1/2 cup pine nuts1/2 cup pine nuts to sprinkle on top before baking

Variation 3: Pretty Valentine Biscotti

3/4 cup slivered almonds1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cranberries1 teaspoon almond extract1 tablespoon turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top before baking

Variation 4: Turkish Delight

3/4 cup Turkish apricots, cut in 1/4" strips 1/2 cup raw, unsalted pistachio nuts1 teaspoon almond extract

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar on top before baking

Variation 5: For after a movie

Substitute 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder for the last 1/2 cup of flour Substitute 1/2 cup of chocolate chips for an additional 1/2 cup of flour 1 cup toasted hazelnuts1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut extract, if available

Variation 6: The California Special

Substitute 3/4 cup of crunchy granola cereal plus 1/4 cup dried cranberries for the last cup of flour.

Sprinkle some granola on top before baking.

When cooled, drizzle with melted caramel.

Variation 7: The Peanut Butter Biscotti

Substitute 1/2 cup peanut butter for 1 egg 1/2 cup salted peanuts3/4 cup chocolate chipsDrizzle with melted milk chocolate and then with melted peanut butter chips, When cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Variation 8 Peanut Butter Chocolate

Substitute brown sugar for white sugarSubstitute 1/2 cup peanut butter for 1 egg 1/2 cup salted peanuts