Recipe(tried): Lemon-Anise Biscotti

LEMON-ANISE BISCOTTI

This recipe makes a crisp, really hard biscotti that will last a month if kept in an airtight container.

Serve with coffee or tea for dipping. For a softer biscotti, only cook for about 7 to 10 minutes in the final step.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon anise seed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set an oven rack in the middle position.

Sift or stir together the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. Set aside until needed.

In another bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until the mixture is a light lemon color. Whisk in the vanilla extract, lemon zest and anise seed. Mix well.

Using a dinner fork, stir and fold in the reserved dry ingredients. Stir and mash the mixture, with the fork until a uniform dough forms. If you use an electric mixer, don't overmix or the biscotti with tough instead of crunchy.

Divide the dough in half. Form each half of dough into a smooth log 12-inches long, 3 inches wide and about 1-inch thick. Place on a cookie sheet on parchment paper or a silpat mat. It is easier to handle the dough and prevent it sticking to your hands if you moisten your hands with water before handling dough.

Bake the formed dough on the middle oven rack for 35 minutes, or until biscotti loaves are slightly golden and slightly cracked on top. Remove baked biscotti loaves from oven and allow them to cool 10 minutes.

Reduce oven to 325 degrees F.

Using a serrated knife (like a tomato knife), use a sawing motion and slight pressure to cut the biscotti loaves into 1/2 inch wide slices. Slice slightly on an angle for larger biscotti's. Lay the slices, cut side up, on a cookie sheet. Make sure the slices are not touching so they will cook evenly.

Bake the sliced biscotti's at 325 degrees F until crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove and flip the biscotti's over halfway through baking (at 7 1/2 minutes). (For a softer biscotti, only bake the sliced biscotti for about 7 to 10 minutes total.)

Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 48 small biscotti's.