DARK CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ANISE BISCOTTI

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 63/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon aniseed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
3 ounces premium dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, aniseed, baking soda and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with a mixer until blended (about 2 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating just until blended. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 7 times. Shape the dough into a 12-inch-long roll. Place roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Remove roll from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Cut roll crosswise into 22 slices. Place, cut sides down, on baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Cool cookies completely on wire rack.

Heat chocolate in a small heavy saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes or until melted; stir.

Dip cookies, top sides down, in chocolate; allow excess chocolate to drip back into pan. Place cookies, chocolate sides up, on a baking sheet. Let stand 1 hour or until set.

Makes 22 biscotti
Source: Cooking Light magazine