Honey-Hazelnut Biscotti

Plate of Biscotti

By Cat, July 6, 2015 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

See also: 1. Cookies Menu

Biscotti is a wonderful treat from Italy, but most countries across Europe make something similar.  For example, in Denmark & Germany, they make Rusk (Skorpor or Zweiback). As a twice-baked cookie, they are excellent dipped in a coffee, latte or cappuccino, black tea, or sweet wine.

It is made from a dense cookie dough resembling refrigerator cookies, made into a long log.  After baking the log, it is cut into slices which are baked a second time, to dry out the cookie.

This recipe is a variation on the traditional Almond & Anise Biscotti, using hazelnuts, honey and anise seeds for the dominant flavors.

Honey Hazelnut Biscotti

This recipe is adapted from a bag of Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached White Flour (wheat) (1). Not that another name for hazelnuts is ‘filberts,’ which is a popular crop in western Oregon where I used to live.

I like the idea of using honey as part of the sweetener, as its flavor is wonderful with nuts. For the remainder of the sweetener, I would use stevia instead of sugar, but I provide both options in the recipe.

Ingredients & Equipment

• 1 ½ cups unbleached white flour (or 1 cup unbleached white flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 tsp anise seeds
• ½ cup coarsely ground hazelnuts (filberts)
• ¼ cup unrefined sea salt
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup Rapadura or white cane sugar (or scant ¼ tsp stevia extract powder)
• ¼ cup raw local honey, warmed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract
• Equipment:
• small mixing bowl
• large mixing bowl
• rolling pin, with optional pastry cloth and pastry sock for rolling pin
• large baking sheet

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F; butter baking sheet.
2. In small bowl, consume flour(s), anise seeds, ground nuts, salt and baking powder; whisk to combine and set aside.
3. In large bowl, cream butter, sweeteners, egg and vanilla until smooth.
4. Stir in dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Divide dough into two equal pieces.
6. Roll and shape each ball of dough into a 12″ long log, and place on buttered baking sheet, 4 – 5″ apart. Flatten slightly.
7. Bake in preheated oven 20 – 25 minutes, or until firm.
8. Remove from oven and place baking sheet on a cooling rack.
9. When cool, cut logs diagonally into 1/s” slices. Place each slice on baking sheet, 1/2″ apart, and return to oven for 10 -12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

References:

1. Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached White Flour (I cannot find this recipe on their website)