Hi Everyone,
Though I do not have a sweet-tooth, every now and then I like to have some sweet baked item with my tea in the afternoon or evening. And based on last week’s column, you know that I like it to be something that can be dipped or dunked. A biscotti proves to be the ideal thing to have on hand for such occasions; more importantly, I like that a biscotti can be around whenever you feel like having one because they can be stored at room temperature for a couple of weeks.
Biscotti are Italian twice-baked cookies or some would say biscuits depending on their interpretation of the word biscuit. Biscotti di Prato originated in the Italian city of Prato. The dough, crumbly and sticky when mixed, is first formed into logs, baked and then cut into ½-inch slices while still hot and baked again until dry and crisp. These cookie-biscuits were first sought after for long journeys and wars back in the day because they could be stored for long periods and were considered non-perishable food. Today, biscotti still have a long shelf life; a homemade batch can last for 2 weeks at room temperature and longer yet at cooler temperatures.
The original recipe for biscotti consisted of flour, sugar, eggs, pine nuts and raw almonds. No form of fat or leavening agent was used. Modern takes on this ole-time baked item include the
