FOOD: If It's Not Biscotti It's Crap!

If It's Not Biscotti It's Crap!
by Doc Holloway

NOTE: Sitting around, drinking coffee, is the God given right of every college student on the planet. And how can any self-respecting college coffee house snob exist in good conscience without a good chunk of biscotti once in a while. My wife made me some of these back when she was just my future wife. Later I married her. Is there a connection between food and love? The debate goes on.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped hazelnuts
1.5 teaspoons vanilla flavoring
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vegetable cooking spray, unless you're against that sort of thing, in which case go eat some dirt, hippie!
Some coffee (your choice of flavor or lack thereof)

PROCEDURE:

Combine sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well blended.

Combine flour, nuts, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and beat until well blended.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly seven times. Shape dough into a 16-inch roll and place on a sprayed baking sheet. Flatten roll to a 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes; remove roll from baking sheet and cool for 10 minutes.

Cut roll diagonally into slices about 3/4 of an inch thick; place cut sides down on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes reducing the heat to 325 degrees.

Turn biscotti over and bake another 10 minutes (the biscotti will remain slightly soft until they are cool.) Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely.

Now the trick is to eat the stuff, without breaking all your teeth, is that since it's quite solid it is necessary to dip the biscotti into your coffee in order to soften it before gnashing down on the stuff.

This recipe can be altered according to your taste through the addition of flavor variety. Some common flavors include: Orange (1 t. grated orange rind and 1/2 t. orange flavoring.) Almond (1 t. almond extract and 1 cup chopped almonds.) Chocolate, lemon, walnut, amaretto, Irish cream or any other personal favorite would also work. You choose, you enjoy.