Recipe: Lemon-Tipped Pistachio Biscotti (frosted with lemon icing)

LEMON-TIPPED PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shelled salted roasted pistachio nuts
Lemon Icing (recipe follows)

In a medium-size bowl, mix flour and baking powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until well blended; beat in egg then egg whites and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture beating until well blended.

Stir in pistachios. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured board, shape each half into a long loaf about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Place loaves about 3-inches apart on a greased baking sheet; flatten each loaf to a thickness of about 1/2-inch.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until firm to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes; remove baking sheet from oven. Cut hot loaves crosswise into about 1/2-inch thick slices; turn slices cut side down and spread slightly on TWO baking sheets.

Return to oven and continue to bake until cookies look dry and are lightly browned, about 10 more minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.

Prepare Lemon Icing. Spread icing over about 1-inch of one end of each cookie; let stand until icing is firm, about 15 minutes. Store airtight.

FOR THE LEMON ICING

1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and lemon zest; add just enough lemon juice to give icing a good spreading consistency.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies
Source: Chuck Ozburn