Three Nut Biscotti

With it turning to spring (finally) I'm gearing up to clean up the kitchen. I realized I have bit of left over ingredients from my winter baking. There's no way I'd throw away a half cup of hazelnuts so the question was what to do?

Make a nut filled cookie! I had pecans and almonds tucked away in the freezer too. What would be nicer? Also, it's taken until March to recover from all the holiday and competition recipe making. I have enjoyed reading books and watching TV instead of baking though.

Lastly, I have a folder filled with hand written recipes that I want to put into this blog for my own reference and your potential enjoyment.

This biscotti recipe is an updated recipe that was given to me by an Italian grandmother. Filomena isn't my grandmother but she and I had great affection for each other. I met her when she was close to 70. I never caught her with out her hair curled and her nails polished a pearlescent cream. She always looked like a million bucks and invariably had a kind word for me.

The original recipe calls for 6 egg yolks and 1 egg and turbinado sugar. The sugar is not an update, and measured in pounds! Filomena wasn't kidding around! 

Basic Biscotti

Makes about 30 large biscotti

1/2 pound butter

1 pound turbinado sugar

3 whole eggs

2 egg yolks, reserve the white

1 1/2 pounds flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon other oil

turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top

For variation add up to a total of 3 cups of nuts, chips, and or dried fruit.

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

In a stand mixer cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time. When creamed add flour, baking powder, salt, and flavoring. Mix well. Add additions. The pictured biscotti has 1 cup blanched almonds, 1 cup pecans and 1/2 cup hazelnuts plus 1 teaspoon almond oil.

Just before going into the oven, glaze with egg white and topped with sugar.

Divide the dough in half. Shape into a two loaves. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 30 minutes or until baked well enough that the center springs back when pressed. When cool enough to handle cut diagonally into 1 inch wide pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and bake again for 15 minutes, turning them over half way through. Or bake a little longer if you like them extra toasty.

You can

temper chocolate

and dip an end or the bottom of the cookie in chocolate for a fancier presentation.

Share with friends, take pictures of them holding a bag of cookies, and enjoy with espresso or cold milk.

Cookies and colleagues are a wonderful combination. 

Do you have a favorite handed down recipe? Or a favorite cookie recipe.