Toasted Walnut Biscotti

Mmmmm homemade biscotti dipped in tea or coffee. Can't get much better than that.

I found a biscotti recipe in Mom's new cookbook, The Art of Simple Food (thanks to Teddy for giving it to Mom for Christmas)! The recipe was for Almond Biscotti, but since we had no almonds and we always have the Costco-size-bag of walnuts, I used them instead. This was an easy recipe and only had a few ingredients. I think my favorite part of biscotti is you can virtually add whatever ingredient you want: walnuts, crasins, chocolate chips, cinnamon, pretty much whatever you little heart is in the mood for.

I toasted the walnuts in the oven before hand, which I have never done before. I really think that it made a difference in the taste! They were delicious.

Toasted Walnut Biscotti
(adapted from The Art of Simple Food)


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole walnuts (or any ingredient you want!)
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp lemon zest




Directions:
1. Toast walnuts in oven at 350 for five minutes, then cool and coarsely chop
2. In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda
3. In a separate bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the eggs and sugar until the mixture forms a ribbon (you will be able to lift it out of the bowl a few inches with the beater)
4. Gently stir in flour mixture until just incorporated
5. Then gently fold in almonds
6. Greased or line a baking sheet with parchment paper
7. Form the dough into two 3-inch wide loaves and smooth with wet hands
8. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, till lightly browned (remember this is only the initial baking)
9. Lower oven to 300
10. Let the loaves cool for 10 minutes, then cut them into 1/2-inch thick cookies
11. Bake cookies on each side for 10-12 minutes until beginning to brown, the biscotti may be a tad chewy and moist (that's for you Em) still
12. For more crispy biscotti, leave the biscotti uncovered over night in a dry place