WALNUT AND LEMON BISCOTTI

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“ My grandma always had an ample supply of her biscotti on hand in case you stopped by for coffee. And she usually sent you home with a half dozen or so. Hers were very simple, without any flavorings but a generous coating of granulated sugar on top. In this recipe I sprinkle them with a little raw cane sugar at the end but they are also flavored with lemon zest and walnuts, to make them perfect for breakfast, as a snack or as part of dessert with espresso at the end of an Italian dinner. In Italy they are often paired with the famous dessert wine Vin Santo.”

Makes about 60 biscotti

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1 1/3 cups sugar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel

  • 2 large eggs

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 3 cups chopped walnuts

  • 1 large egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

  • Raw sugar*

Preparation:


  1. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1 1/3 cups sugar, and lemon peel in large bowl until blended. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just to blend after each addition. Beat in lemon juice, then flour mixture. Stir in walnuts.

  2. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Place each piece of dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap as aid, form dough into 8-inch-long logs. Press logs slightly, flattening to 2 1/2-inch-wide logs. Enclose in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

  3. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line heavy large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap logs, leaving on plastic. Brush top of logs with egg glaze. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Lift logs from plastic and transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly. Bake until golden brown and just firm to touch, about 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

  4. Line 2 heavy rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using long serrated knife, carefully cut logs crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange biscotti, cut side down, on prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies until golden brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely (biscotti will crisp as they cool). (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.)

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