Anise & Chocolate Biscotti
Biscotti hotties, I’m here to spread the good news. Don’t you want to be on a terrace in the early hours of the morning dipping a flavorful drybread into coffee or tea? I seem to recall you telling me that you do.
There is value in making your own biscotti. No great mystery here except that I’m tired of Big Biscotti dropping a ton of awful on our grocery store shelves. The concept has such merit: A purposefully dry long biscuit made for dunkin’. I want it as a snatch-able option on my countertop in lieu of pop tarts and Eggo waffles.
And talk about a blank canvas. You can even make it more of a dessert and put candied pecans in there. Make it more savory and shave some carrots into the batter. Get wicked. For these I wanted simple anise flavor but with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. Anise isn’t as overpowering as you think. But keep in mind everything amplifies with coffee. I opted for brown sugar instead of granulated as the color and molasses flavor were unbeatable. The shaping and baking are super straightforward and if you’re going to make these, please cut them smaller than I did…
Necessities
Stand mixer
Serrated or long knife
Parchment paper
Rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
Biscotti
95g soft unsalted butter
150g brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
200g AP flour
1.5 tbsp anise seeds, ground in a mortar & pestle (optionally slightly toasted)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Toppings
8 oz dark chocolate from your preferred brand
Maldon salt
Orange, for zesting
Recipe
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or by hand, mix butter and sugar until creamed together. Add eggs/vanilla and mix until eggs are incorporated. Separately whisk together dry ingredients in another bowl then dump into butter/sugar mixture. Allow the mixer to run until it comes together and no dry spots remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Do not overmix.
Preheat oven to 350.
The dough should be quite wet, like a wet mud that can still hold its shape when clumped together.
Lightly knead in the bowl until it comes together. Add a tablespoon or two of flour if the dough is too wet. It should be the consistency of loose cookie dough. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. With wetted fingers, form into a 1” tall oval log. Roughly 10” long and 5” wide. Brush with a beaten egg and bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until golden brown all over.
Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. Reduce over tempt to 300. Slice at 1/2 inch intervals using a long sharp knife or one with a serrated edge. Place each slice cut side down (up) on the parchment paper and bake for another 15 minutes. Flip and bake again for another 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove and allow to cool completely. Ideally you want to wait overnight for them to fully dry.
For coating in chocolate. Melt chocolate in a bag soaking in hot water or in the microwave in a glass bowl. Use a tall glass like a Collins glass to pour the chocolate into and dunk the biscotti in, coating just one half. Top with orange zest and flaky salt and let cool. Pop in the fridge if you’re impatient.
Enjoy with coffee or tea I beg you!
