Thanks to biscotti, dunking has become socially acceptable. These long, dry, semihard cookies with curved tops and flat bottoms are especially designed for dunking. Their unique texture and taste are perfect for absorbing coffee, tea, punch, wine, or soup.Biscotti date all the way back to Columbus's time when an Italian baker served them with Tuscan wines. From there the idea spread throughout Italy and nearby countries
A finely textured, colorful orange and red biscotto that doubles as a cookie and looks beautiful on a buffet table.
Yields about 3 dozen biscotti
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 cups unbleached or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped candied orange peels
3/4 cup dried cranberries or 1 1/2 cups fresh, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
In a bread machine pan, mix the eggs and sugar together on the dough or manual cycle for 5 minutes, adding the oil during last minute. Add the orange extract and zest. Combine and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and continue mixing for about 4 minutes. Add the orange peels and cranberries until partially incorporated into the dough, then add the walnuts. Push the ingredients down from the pan sides into the paddle area until everything is incorporated (about 2 minutes) or until the cycle stops. If necessary, restart the machine and mix a few minutes more. Stop or unplug the machine and remove the pan. Transfer the dough from the pan onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
Divide the dough in half or thirds and shape each piece into a log about 3 1/2 inches wide and 5/8 to 3/4 inches high. Place them 3 inches apart. Bake in a 350-degree F oven for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut each log diagonally into 3/4-inch slices. Place the slices cut side down on a baking sheet and toast each side in a 275 degree F oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
