Secret of biscotti texture is baking cookie twice

HYDE PARK, N.Y.— During the past decade, biscotti have appeared in virtually every coffee house across the United States. Their crisp texture and subtle sweetness make biscotti the perfect snack or accompaniment to most drinks.

In Italy, the word "biscotti" refers to all cookies. In the states, biscotti describes the dry, crunchy, crescent-shaped cookies ideal for dunking known to Italians as cantucci.

Biscotti are believed to have originated in the 13th century, coming from the city of Prato, in the region of Tuscany.

The familiar texture of biscotti is achieved through a process of baking the cookie twice. Literally translated, bis means twice and cotto means cooked.

Baked without preservatives or additives, and properly stored, the cookie enjoys a long shelf life. It’s no wonder that history suggests the dry cookie was a favorite of Christopher Columbus during his long voyage.

The recipe that follows features the most traditional flavor and nut: anise and almonds. Although there are numerous ways to make biscotti, this version involves foaming the eggs, sugar and flavorings to make a light, crisp cookie.

Once mixed, the dough is formed into a flattened log and baked. The log is then sliced to create individual cookies and baked a second time, resulting in a firm and crunchy treat.

"Adding sweetness to the tops of biscotti creates a special final product," said chef Stephen Eglinski, lecturing instructor in baking and pastry arts at The Culinary Institute of America.

To achieve this extra touch, Eglinski suggested this technique: "Brush the logs of dough with egg wash and sprinkle them with granulated sugar before baking. This creates a sweet crust on top that’s tasty and attractive."

Eglinski offers another secret, to avoid having to flip each sliced biscotto as it dries: During their second bake, "stand the biscotti on their bottoms rather than their sides. This technique is easier than turning over each hot cookie to dry out the second side."

Biscotti, along with many other desserts, are explained and illustrated in The Culinary Institute of America’s "Baking and Pastry, Mastering the Art and Craft" cookbook, available in March.

Biscotti

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour and baking soda. Whip the eggs, sugar, salt and anise extract in an electric mixer using the whip attachment on high speed, until thick and light in color, about 5 minutes. On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Add the almonds and anise seeds by hand and blend until evenly combined.

On the parchment-lined cookie sheet, form the dough into a 4-by-16-inch-wide flattened log (about 3/4 to 1 inch high).

Bake in a 300-degree oven until light golden brown, about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 275.

Using a serrated knife, cut the strip crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Lay the sliced cookies back on the parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake, turning the biscotti once halfway through the baking time, until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cookies on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (or longer, if well stored).

Variation: For orange biscotti, replace the anise extract with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; replace the whole almonds with slivered almonds; and replace the anise seeds with 3 tablespoons grated orange zest and 1/3 cup finely chopped candied orange peel.

Makes 32 1/2-inch biscotti. Per cookie: 80 cal., 2 g pro., 12 g carbo., 2.5 g fat, 65 mg sodium.

Recipe adapted from The Culinary Institute of America’s "Baking and Pastry, Mastering the Art and Craft," scheduled to be available in March