Twice Baked Whole Grain Biscotti

Winter time is the perfect time for Biscotti. I love Biscotti. It is one of the best cookies ever. I have to say that nothing compares to a nice chocolate dipped Biscotti with a cup of hot chocolate or Crio Brew.

Years ago in Arizona I had the pleasure of teaching classes and one of the class attendees asked me if I wanted to meet her mother, a classical Italian woman. I was delighted, and we actually did several cooking classes together and became great friends. She taught me the classic Biscotti. Filled with rum, anise, ground up, and dipped in chocolate. I loved them and loved teaching with that delightful woman. She passed years ago, but every time I eat a Biscotti I think of her.

That is the power behind foods. They create memories that last forever. Just a smell or taste can literally bring someone back into our minds and hearts.

Before learning how to make them I remember working in an Italian ice cream shop where they sold Biscotti. I have loved them forever.

The nice thing about Biscotti is that they last a long time. They are after all twice baked, making them a hard cookie that stays hard. It’s a great cookie to fill the cookie jar up with and just enjoy until they are gone.

The possibilities are endless in what you can put into a Biscotti. From nuts to fruits, from seeds to extracts and spices, let your imagination be your guide. You will love these amazing Italian cookies.

Enjoy

Chef Brad~America’s Grain Guy

Twice Baked Italian Biscotti 

1 cup, 2 cubes butter soft

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

 5 eggs

6 cups flour fresh ground Einkorn flour or fresh ground spelt. 

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 cups nuts, cocoa nibs, pistachios, almonds, etc 

1 cup fruit,  chopped dates, raisins, dried fruit, etc 

In your WonderMix, with wire whips,  whip butter with sugar until creamed together,  add eggs and vanilla,  cream together.   Remove wire whips and replace with dough hook.  Add flour, baking powder, nuts, and fruit.  Mix in mixer until all in combined together.   Remove from mixer bowl and place in large bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or more. 

After one hour preheat oven to 375 degrees and remove dough from the refrigerator.  Divide dough into three or four portions.  With moist hands roll into logs.   Place logs on parchment paper on cookie or jelly roll pans.  Flatten log, making sure there is plenty of space in-between the flattened logs.   

Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.  Place log on cutting board and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slice.   Place on parchment paper with room in-between slices.   Place back in hot oven and bake for 8 minutes.  Remove and let cool before dipping in chocolate is desired.  Store in air tight container.  

To Dip:

Melt chocolate to tempering and dip one side of cookie into chocolate and place on parchment, chocolate side down. Let cool until chocolate sets.