You can’t turn down light, delicate biscotti. A derivative of the Italian word “biscotto”, which roughly translates to “twice baked”, these homemade treats are as delicious with a glass of bubbly as they are with morning coffee. Try the soft variety with ice cream, and the hard kind with a glass of white wine.
For a delicious flavoured variety, check out our pistachio and rose water biscotti.
Biscotti
Ingredients
- Soft biscotti
- 250g unsalted butter
- 380ml castor sugar
- 6 eggs
- 50ml brandy
- zest of 1 lemon
- 380g cake flour
- 180g self-raising flour
- 5ml salt
- 250g blanched almonds, toasted and chopped
- 10ml aniseed
- Hard biscotti
- 3 eggs
- 5ml vanilla extract
- 240g cake flour
- 200g sugar
- 5ml baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 100g almonds, toasted and halved
Instructions
Soft biscotti
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the brandy and zest and mix well.
Stir the flour and salt into the butter mixture. Mix in the almonds and aniseed and stir into a dough. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Divide the dough into 5 and roll into logs. Place on a greased baking tray and bake until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wooden chopping board. Reduce the heat to 160°C.
Cut the logs diagonally into 1cm slices with a sharp knife. Lay the biscuits flat and bake until they are dry and crispy, about 15 minutes on each side. Store in an airtight container.
Hard biscotti
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla with a whisk until well combined.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix in the egg mixture. Stir well to combine. Mix in the almonds and knead to form a dough.
Divide the dough into 3 and roll into logs. Place onto slightly greased baking trays and bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Reduce the heat to 160°C.
Place the logs on a wooden cutting board, and while still warm, cut diagonally into 1cm slices with a sharp knife. Lay the slices flat on the baking tray and return to the oven until toasted, about 10 – 15 minutes on each side. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Cook's tip: Depending on the size of your preferred biscuit, divide the dough into smaller logs for smaller biscuits and larger logs for bigger ones.
ALSO SEE: Almond, Apricot, Ginger and Fig Biscotti
