Recipe: Cornmeal Biscotti

CORNMEAL BISCOTTI

1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/3 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup currants, rinsed under hot water, cooled and drained on paper towels
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon

To prepare oven, baking sheet: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet or jellyroll pan with parchment or foil. Set aside.

In bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir well to mix. Cut butter into 6 or 8 pieces. Add to bowl. Rub butter into dry ingredients. Stir in currants; set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla and lemon zest. Using rubber spatula, stir eggs into cornmeal mixture. Continue stirring until mixture forms soft dough.

On lightly floured surface, press dough together (dough will be sticky). Flour hands and surface lightly. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into log equal to length of pan (14 to 18 inches). Place each log on pan. Flatten slightly. Use dry brush to remove excess flour, if necessary.

Bake for 30 minutes or until well risen and firm. Cool logs on pans. Using sharp, serrated knife, cut baked logs diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Return biscotti to pan, cut side down. Bake for 20 minutes or until dry and crisp. Cool completely.

To store biscotti: Store cooled biscotti between sheets of parchment or wax paper in tin or plastic container with tight-fitting cover.

Makes about 50 biscotti
Source: Cookies Unlimited by Nick Malgieri