After the topping sets, create decorations using an icing pen—a food-safe pen, available at some supermarkets and at kitchen supply stores, that works like a marker. (Kids love them because they’re so easy to use.) Or sprinkle the cookie with sparkly edible glitter for a special effect.
Almond paste adds extra flavor and texture to these delicious cookies. The word biscotti takes quotation marks here because this cookie doesn’t have to be baked twice. However, if you prefer a crisper cookie, you can continue with the second baking. Makes about 2½ dozen
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 ounces almond paste, crumbled
1 large egg
⅔ cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line heavy large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl just to blend. Add almond paste and mix until very well blended. Mix in egg. Stir in flour mixture and almonds. Mix just until combined, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.
Form dough into two 8-inch-long, 2-inch-wide logs and place on prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake until golden brown and tender but set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool on baking sheet. Transfer to cutting board and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices.
DO AHEAD: Soft biscotti can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
For crisp biscotti, arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Continue baking at 325°F until just golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely (biscotti will crisp as they cool).
DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
Cookie Basics: Preparing and Rolling DoughAs with pie crust dough, making and rolling out cookie dough requires some care. So follow the recipe instructions carefully and precisely.
If a recipe says to “beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy,” continue beating until the mixture is noticeably paler in color and the texture is light and airy. This step is essential, as it incorporates air into the batter, resulting in a finer product.
If a recipe calls for chilling the dough, do so. Chilled dough is easier to shape, roll, and mold.
If the dough is too cold and firm, and cracks when you attempt to roll it out, allow it to stand for a minute or two at room temperature to soften slightly. If it’s too soft and sticky, return it to the refrigerator to chill briefly.
Be sure that the work surface is generously floured.
Lift and turn the dough as you roll it out so that it does not stick to the work surface; add more flour as necessary.
Use a ruler to make sure that the cookie dough is rolled to the right thickness; rolling dough too thinly or unevenly can result in burned cookies.
Dip the cookie cutter into flour before cutting shapes from the dough; this will keep the dough from sticking to the cutter.
Use a small metal spatula to transfer cutout cookies to the cookie sheet.
A quick dip in melted chocolate adds a touch of decadence to these crispy cookies. Makes about 3½ dozen
1½ cups sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 large eggs
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons aniseed
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups slivered almonds
8 ounces (about) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate or high quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), choppedNatural unsweetened cocoa powder or powdered sugar
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line heavy large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat sugar, butter, and lemon peel in large bowl until blended; mix in eggs. Mix in 1 cup flour, aniseed, baking soda, and salt. Mix in remaining 2 cups flour and almonds.
Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and gather together. Shape into three 7 ½-inch-long, 3-inch-wide loaves. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly (at least 3 inches apart). Bake until golden and firm to touch, about 40 minutes. Cool until warm.
Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Using long metal spatula, carefully transfer loaves to work surface. Using large serrated knife, cut loaves crosswise (not on diagonal) into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes (biscotti will crisp as they cool). Cool completely.
Stir chocolate in heavy medium skillet over very low heat just until melted. Remove skillet with melted chocolate from heat. Dip 1 cut side of biscotti into chocolate; drag biscotti gently on edge of skillet to remove excess chocolate. Arrange biscotti, chocolate side up, on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining biscotti. Chill until chocolate is set. Brush cocoa powder over bittersweet chocolate-dipped biscotti or brush powdered sugar over white chocolate-dipped biscotti.
DO AHEAD: Can be made ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 4 days, or freeze airtight up to 1 month.
Because this recipe makes so many biscotti, store some of the cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. (Wrap them tightly in foil and enclose in a resealable plastic freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them come to room temperature. If you prefer them warm, pop them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.) These biscotti are very tender, so work carefully with a serrated knife when slicing the logs for their second baking. Makes about 5 dozen
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1⅓ cups sugar
1½ tablespoons finely grated lemon peel
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups chopped walnuts
1 large egg, beaten to blendRaw sugar
Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and lemon peel in large bowl until blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just to blend after each addition. Beat in lemon juice, then flour mixture. Stir in walnuts.
Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Place each piece on sheet of plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap as aid, form dough into 8-inch-long logs; press each slightly, flattening to 2½-inch-wide logs. Enclose in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line heavy large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap logs and set atop plastic. Brush tops of logs with egg. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Lift logs from plastic and transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly. Bake until golden brown and just firm to touch, about 50 minutes. Carefully transfer to rack and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.