This recipe was submitted by Barbara Lonnett, who works for US Airways.
6 eggs
1 cup margarine or butter
6 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure anise extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
In mixer, beat the eggs one at a time. Add anise, baking powder; add flour a cup at a time.
Mix the above ingredients together until the texture is smooth. Mix in the sugar and margarine (you can soften or slightly melt the margarine for easier mixing). Allow the batter to chill for 2 hours before handling.
Separate into 8 small loaves. Using a jelly roll pan, roll out each loaf into a log-shaped roll and flatten to about 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide and about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Place anywhere between 2 to 3 logs per pan. Bake these loaves at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, slice on an angle about 1/2 to 1 inch and turn the cookies on their sides. Return the pan to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, turn the cookies on their opposite side and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Be very careful during the final 10 minutes of baking; they have a tendency to burn.
Variation: Take the basic biscotti and dip half way into melted dark or white chocolate. Cool on waxed paper. If desired, roll the chocolate into ground almonds. (You can substitute almond extract for the anise when rolling in the crushed almonds.)
When mixing the original biscotti, prior to adding the 6 cups flour, add 1 to 2 cups of desired slivered or sliced almonds to the batter, again, substituting almond extract for the anise.
Or, to the original biscotti, prior to adding the flour, add 1 to 2 cups cran-raisins or cranberries and substitute orange extract for the anise. You can also grate the rind of an orange as well.
Tested by Arlene Burnett
Thursday, December 02, 1999
