Direction for the biscotti cookies

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
   
• For this recipe you need semi-cold butter, remove it from the fridge when you start making this cookie and cut it into small pieces, set aside for now.
   
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or butter it lightly, and set aside.
   
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl, and set aside for now.
   
• In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla bean paste until it is light and airy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
   
• Replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment, then add one piece of butter at a time, mixing for about 3-4 minutes or until well incorporated.
   
• Make sure all the pieces of butter are well incorporated before you add in the flour mixture.
   
• With the mixer on low speed, add 3/4 part of the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture a little at a time and beat on low speed until smooth. at this point, the dough will be quite sticky.
   
• Transfer the remaining flour mixture onto your work surface and place the dough on it.
   
• Work in the remaining flour by hand until the dough is soft and smooth and not too sticky, add more flour if needed.
   
• Flatten the dough with your hands, add sprinkle the pistachios, almonds, and dried cherries on the dough or any kind of nuts or dried fruit you prefer. I got some feedback that it is easier to cut the biscotti cookies if you chop the almonds/nuts into smaller pieces.
   
• Fold the dough over the nuts and dried fruit and knead with your hands to evenly incorporated.
   
• Divide the dough in half, create a log shape for each dough.
   
• Place both logs on the greased sheet pan (lengthwise) use a lightly floured rolling pin to flatten slightly.
   
• Bake the log in the middle oven rack for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top and around the edges. rotating the baking sheet midway through the baking time
   
• You can check to see if it is ready by pressing a finger firmly into the middle it should not give at all.
   
• Remove from the oven and let the log cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes, until it is cool enough to handle comfortably.
   
• Turn the oven down to  270°F (135 °C).
   
• Transfer the log to a cutting board, using a serrated knife, slice it on a slight diagonal thick biscotti.
   
• Place the biscotti straight onto a baking sheet and bake for about 20 to 40 minutes more, the longer you bake these cookies the crunchier they are.
   
• I like my biscotti to be dry and crisp, but not too dark in color like many other biscotti cookies you often see, start checking after 20 minutes, depending on how you like them.
   
• Test the biscotti by poking at the middle of one of the cookies; it should be completely hard.
   
• Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
   
• Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.