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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Anise Biscotti


From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We are delivering Christmas baskets to the neighbors this afternoon. I've just made a last minute addition to them because they weren't quite full enough to achieve the look I was aiming for. I decided to use these anise flavored biscotti as a filler because, while they are delicious, they are also very easy to make. As it happens, they're also one of my favorite cookies and I liked the thought of holding a few of them back for my own consumption. They are wonderful with a cup of coffee and it is a near perfect treat for those of us who don't like our desserts to be too sweet. The cookies have a mild licorice flavor that is a perfect way to end a meal. I have one caution to share with those of you who plan to give this recipe a try. The dough is very soft and I've found it best to form the logs on prepared cookie sheets rather than attempt a transfer from the counter to the pan. You'll also want to form long, narrow logs because this is a dough that spreads and will encroach, amoeba-like, on its neighbor if given half a chance. I do hope you will try this recipe. This biscotti would be a perfect addition to your holiday cookie tray. Here's how they are made.

Anise Biscotti...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Carroll Pellegrinelli at about.com

Ingredients:
3-1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
10 tablespoons (1-1/4 stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon anise extract
2 teaspoons ground aniseed
1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted, hand-crushed

Directions:
1) Preheat to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2) Mix flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.
3) Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in anise extract and ground seeds.
4) Gradually add flour mixture until well combined. Hand stir in almonds.
5) Divide dough in half. Shape into two logs, about 12-inches long, and place on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer pans to wire racks for cooling. Let pans sit until biscotti are completely cool, about 25 minutes. Slice logs diagonally into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices.
6) Discard parchment paper, and place log slices, cut side down on baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn and bake for 8 minutes longer, or until just beginning to color. Biscotti can be made 1 week before you plan to serve them if they are stored in an airtight container. Yield: 2 dozen biscotti.








One Year Ago Today: Mulled Cranberry and Cider Punch














Two Years Ago Today: Miso Soup















Three Years Ago Today: Warm Apple Pudding with Hot Caramel Sauce


16 comments:

  1. wow Lucky neighbours! Love licorice flavour. Thank you Mary, for sharing.

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  2. these cookies are wonderful... looks like our cantuccini blessing dear Mary

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  3. What will be your menu for Christmas day?

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  4. Your biscotti look perfect but I ha e to say that pudding from 3 years ago has caught my eye. I need to go check that out. I can't sleep and now that's got me drooling!

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  5. What a delicious flavour for this biscotti :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  6. When I was growing up, our Italian neighbor always made us a batch of Anise Biscotti, which we loved. She has long since passed, but I got the recipe from her daughter, and I still make it today.

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  7. I came to LOVE biscotti this past year. Sure wish I were one of your neighbors!! LOL! blessings ~ tanna

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  8. I have not bake biscotti for ages! WIsh I could bake as much as you do! Love the look of this biscotti very much...:) Pinning for future bakes:)

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  9. Delicious.. too tempting at this hour of the day for me...:)
    Happy Christmas... xv

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  10. I had the most amazing biscotti the other day and it totally turned me on to the treat. I had never really liked it before, but now I can't get enough! I would love to test out this recipe.

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  11. Just today my sister, mother and I made Biscochos and we use anise in the recipe. It's a wonderful flavoring and it makes your house smell so heavenly!

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  12. I was so glad to see a recipe for my favorite biscotti flavors - it will make the holiday for me! I'd like to make them but had to ask first: the recipe ingredient list says the butter is melted, but the directions say to cream the butter into the sugar - makes me think the butter is at room temp. Can you clarify? Thanks and can hardly wait to try them!

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  13. I've never eaten or made biscotti, I think I'm missing something!! Thank you for sharing.

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  14. Maureen, I'm so glad I checked my comments, so I can answer this for you tonight. I used the language that I found in the original recipe and it is perhaps misleading. The butter is melted and it is beaten with the sugar until the mixture becomes light - much like biscotti made with oil. The world will not end if you use really soft butter and cream it as you would for any other cookie. I hope this helps. Blessings...Mary

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  15. I love a good biscotti! If I don't have anise extract what do you recommend I use instead?

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