Vanilla Biscotti

Twice-baked, biscotti is one sturdy cookie. Last weekend, I visited Enrico Biscotti in the Strip District and picked up a half-dozen of my favorites; almond, hazelnut, lemon, vanilla, chocolate almond, and even a doggie biscotti, flavored with cheese and bacon, for Millie.

I aspire to make the heavenly, crumbly biscotti like they make at Enrico, but I’ve got a ways to go. This weekend, I’m practicing with today’s vanilla and tomorrow’s pumpkin (stay tuned). The recipe below is a slight adaptation from one I found online, adding a small amount of liquid to help the dough come together.

Ingredients

Biscotti

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons water

Chocolate Glaze

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out seeds; discard pod.

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla seeds and beat on medium speed until frothy.

Gradually add flour, mixing on low speed until dough begins to look like large crumbs.

Add vanilla extract, then water, mixing on low speed until dough begins to stick together. Keep a close eye on the dough, as you don’t want it to be too wet.

Shape the dough into a log and press it onto the prepared baking sheet; dust very lightly with flour and gently roll with a rolling pin to flatten into a log about 1-inch thick.

Bake for 25 minutes; remove from oven and let stand on baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Turn oven down to 325 degrees; transfer still-warm log onto a cutting board and cut into wedges about 3/4 inch thick. Return to baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then flip each biscotti over and continue baking for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before dipping.

To make chocolate glaze, combine chocolate chips and shortening in a small saucepan and melt together on low heat, stirring until smooth. Dip biscotti into glaze, then set on parchment paper to set.