1 2/3 cup bread flour
2 cup cake flour
2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp anise seeds
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp anise extract
8 oz bittersweet or semisweet
1 chocolate, optional
Directions
Blend bread and cake flours, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda and
anise seeds in bowl. Melt butter and set aside to cool.
Beat 2 eggs, 1 additional egg yolk and sugar until smooth. Reserve the
remaining egg white. Stir in zests and anise. Add butteer and mix
until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix to smooth dough.
Roll dough into 2 14inch logs and place on baking sheet lined with
parchment paper. Press tops of logs to flatten slightly. Brush with
reserved egg white.
Bake at 375 degrees F. until logs are light brown, but still give
slightly when tops are pressed, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from
oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees.
While logs are still warm, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices. Return
slices to baking sheet, placing on sides. Return to oven and bake
until cookies are lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven
and cool on wire racks.
Cut chocolate into 1/2 inch chunks. Place 2/3 in stainless steel bowl,
spreading in even layer over bottom and up sides of bowl. Cover bowl
with plastic wrap. Fill medium saucepan 1/3 full of water. Bring
water to simmer over high heat. Remove pan from heat and set bowl of
chocolate over top. Let stand until 80% of the chocolate has melted.
Do not let temperature of chocolate drop below 88 degrees on candy
thermometer. If so, place bowl over saucepan of warm water and
continue stirring. Stir until chocolate is smooth and glossy.
Have clean sheet of waxed paper nearby. Dip 1/2 of each cookie in
chocolate. As cookie is removed, scrape top and bottom against side
of bowl to remove excess chocolate. Set cookies on waxed paper until
chocolate sets, about 3 hours or put into freezer for about 20
minutes. Submitted By SANDY GAMBLE
1995 233849 ~0700 (MST)
Servings: 48 biscotti
Anise & Walnut Biscotti Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Biscotti; Cookie; Italian; Nut; Pasta
The History of Recipes
It is quite feasible to prove the history of recipes back into the distant past, at least as far back into history as pharonic Egypt, and potentially, even further back. In practice though, mostly, these ancient recipes were just simple hieroglyphic or cunieform recipes for preparing food.
Interestingly, the oldest recipe discovered, according to food historians is a collection of clay tablets in the Sumerian language which describe the baking of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making those who drank it feel blissful. During Roman times 25BC a man called Apicius assembled a number of documents describing recipes prepared by wealthy roman citizens. He describes how the meals were divided into hors d`oeuvre, main course and dessert, a very modern way of dining. Additionally, he describes how the Roman chefs made use of a wide range of herbs, including some that we all recognise like basil, fennel and parsley. Closer to modern times, there are some recipe books which were published in the fourteenth century ; a book entitled `Forme of Cury`, and another, similary named `Curye on Inglish`. The titles are a little misleading though, these are not about the indian food that we all know today, but rather recipes for the types of meals on the tables of the rich people of those days. Later, in the 15th century, the Crusaders brought back many foods and spices from the holy land, including spices like parsley and basil. The introduction of these new tastes prompted a torrent in recipe publications, the majority of which still exist in private libraries. By the time we get to the twentieth century, recipe publications were in great demand, as a result of better eduction, people having increased spare time and having more money to spend. |
We hope you enjoy this Anise & Walnut Biscotti recipe.
