Recipe(tried): Hello Gail ...

So sorry to hear about your recent loss. If you enjoy Italian cooking and
baking and have lost all your recipes to the fire, please feel free to ask me
for ANYTHING. I have all my family's Italian recipes on a floppy and I can
download them onto TKL for you anytime. Here's my nana's recipe for Chocolate
Biscotti, my favorite. These are definitely not "tough", as you described your
recent disappointments to be. I give 2 glaze recipes, both are delicious on the
biscotti below. I have another recipe for plain biscotti, which you can ice
with chocolate, and almond biscotti. Buon' apetito!

Biscotti Di Cioccolati
3 eggs
cup oil
1 cup granulated sugar
teaspoon vanilla - you may sub. another flavor such as orange or rum
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
2 cups white, all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
cup cocoa powder
Optional: cup whole filberts (hazelnuts), almonds or pine nuts, toasted and
chopped

Glaze #1
1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 teaspoons milk
3 teaspoons lemon juice

Glaze #2
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1 medium mixing bowl
1 large mixing bowl
2-3 baking sheets
1 wooden cutting board

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla,
orange zest and nuts.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and
cocoa powder.
Gradually mix the flour mixture into the bowl with the eggs and using a
fork, incorporate the flour until you have a dough. The consistency should be
sticky and oily.
Form the dough into two loaves, about 2" wide x 1" thick. Place on
greased baking sheets and bake loaves about 20 minutes or until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Place a loaf on the wooden cutting board and using a very sharp knife,
slice across the log diagonally making 1/2" wide biscuits.
Cut the loaf as you would slice a long loaf of French or Italian bread.
Return the biscuits to the baking sheet, laying them flat. Bake again
for about 15 minutes per side, or until they're lightly toasted. Remove from
oven and set aside to cool.
Place chocolate into either a double boiler or in a microwave safe bowl
to melt, being careful not to overcook it. If the melted chocolate becomes too
thick and unmanagable, stir in a little butter, a teaspoon at a time, until it's
creamy again.
Place biscuits on wax paper and using a spoon, drizzle them with glaze
or melted chocolate in a zig-zag pattern.