Biscotti D'anici

Well, I've been meaning to post for a while, but my last two baking attempts were failed macarons that came out of the oven flat flat flat. That's no good, and I can't have two posts about my baking failures in a row (see pics of tomatoes and failed croissants).

So Friday I decided to bake something a little easier- biscotti. These twice-baked cookies are delicious on their own or dunked in tea or coffee.

My Grandmother used to take us to costco to buy Nonni's biscotti d'anici, and my older sister Rivka used to lug containers of it back to Israel. It's delicious. When I wanted some and there was none to be had in a country where Costco does not exist, I decided to make my own. I went to "hamishkal", a spice store in Givat Shmuel and bought five shekels worth of anise seed (thats about $1.50), found a recipe and made my own!

Even if you don't like the taste of anise seed, it's very muted in these cookies. They are still worth making!

So here's the recipe, adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens' "New Baking Book":

Biscotti D'anici

• 1/2 c butter or margarine
• 1 c sugar
  1 T anise seed, crushed
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 3 1/4 c flour
• 3/4 c chocolate chips or chocolate pieces

In a large mixing bowl beat butter until soft. Add sugar, anise seed and baking powder. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs until combined. Add the chocolate chips and flour. Beat in as much flour as you can with the spatula or mixer, and add any remaining flour by mixing the dough with your hands until you get a unniform ball of dough. Divide dough in half.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Shape each portion of dough into an 11-inch log. Place about 5 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten logs slightly until about two inches wide.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool logs for about an hour (I waited much less than this, but be careful if you cut them before they are fully cooled- they could crumble.) With a serrated knife, cut each log diagonally into 1/2 inch slices. Lay slices cut side down on a cookie sheet.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for ten minutes. Turn slices over. Bake 10- 15 minutes more until dry and crisp. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool and enjoy!