The word “biscotti” in Italian is the plural form of biscotto, which applies to any type of biscuit, and originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning “twice-baked”: it defined biscuits baked twice in the oven, so they could be stored for long periods of time, which was particularly useful during journeys and wars. Through Middle French, the word was imported into the English language as “biscuit”.
American biscotti are indeed crisp cookies often containing nuts or flavored with anise. Traditionally, biscotti are made by baking cookie dough in two long slabs, cutting these into slices, and reheating them to dry them out. A basic recipe is a mix two parts flour with one part sugar with enough eggs to create a stiff batter. To the mixture baking powder and flavorings such as anise, chocolate, or nuts are added. The slabs are baked once for about twenty-five minutes. They are then cut up into individual cookies and baked again for a shorter period. The longer this second baking is, the harder the cookies will be. In contrast to the Italian version paired with wine, American biscotti more frequently accompany Italian-style coffee- and espresso-based beverages, including cappuccinos and lattes.
Well, I guess you could say that I made my biscotti with nuts, coconut! Below is my coconut and orange biscotti. Using desiccated coconut (extremely dried out) and orange oil, extract, and/or peel. Again, I needed about 300 to 400. Gone quick.
Below is a simple process of how its done, first bake is approximately 25 minutes at 350 F, second bake for 15 minutes at 325 F.
[hold cursor over picture for description and step]
Now enjoy with coffee, espresso, tea, hot chocolate, milk…
Stephanie took some of them, melted chocolate chips in the microwave then slathered them on one side with the chocolate and waited for them to cool again. Try doing this with a lot of chocolate (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white chocolate) or any other melt-able addition that tastes yummy and dip, drizzle, and/or both for a more ‘gourmet/fancy looking’ delicious biscotti.
Wow. Tyrone, these last two weeks have been absolutely AMAZING! I would never have thought I would get biscotti, cinnamon buns, soft bread, home-made pizza, brownies, dinner rolls, and focaccia bread in LIBERIA! Keep up the good work!!!! And no one can believe you are also heading up the meals as well!
I think the chef and cooks are the most important roles on the ship. Basically if every other department stopped working, we would survive at least a couple of days…but we would be struggling to go without food.
Thanks for all your hard work!
Well, that explains why Biscotti is so terribly dry! They have to be dipped in something.
I prefer your cinnamon rolls…the ones we had Christmas morning…yum!
wow, you make some delicious bakings!! you sound like quite the cook and baker!! too bad you guys are leaving when we are coming!!
–not only for the good food, but we would have loved to meet you in person and get to know you both.
hannah