As well as iced biscuits I absolutely love biscotti - also known as cantuccini - the little Italian double baked dry crunchy biscuits often served with coffee or traditionally Vino Santo. They are also delicious with ice cream!
Here is my favourite recipe. They can be frozen after the first bake which means you always have a ready supply of these yummy morsels for whenever someone drops round for coffee.
Hazelnut and dark chocolate biscotti
Makes around 30 biscotti
Prep: 20 mins plus resting and cooling
Cook: 45 mins
2 large free range eggs
150g caster sugar
250g plain flour plus extra for dusting
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
75g whole hazelnuts
75g dark chocolate roughly chopped
whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy
sift in the flour, bicarb and baking powder
add the hazelnuts and chocolate
mix everything together - you should have quite a sticky dough at this stage
leave the dough in the fridge wrapped in baking paper for about an hour
preheat the oven to 200 centigrade and line a large baking sheet with baking paper
remove the dough from the fridge and on a well floured surface mould into a long rectangle about 5cm wide
bake on a baking sheet for about 20 mins. Using a skewer check its cooked all the way through- it should come out clean - if its sticky give it a bit longer. Its really important its cooked all the way through otherwise you will get in a sticky mess in the next stage!
leave to cool on the baking tray and reduce the oven temperature to 180 centigrade
when cool cut into 1cm slices. If you want to freeze them for later do so at this stage. Just put the slices in a tuppaware and straight into the freezer. Alternatively lay the slices on a baking tray and return them to the oven for a second time for around 15-20 mins to dry out completely, flipping them over half way through the cooking.
if you freeze them they can be cooked for their second time straight from frozen - simply return to the oven for 20 mins at 180 centigrade
The flavour combinations are endless. I also love white chocolate and orange zest!