If as First You Don't Succeed... {Recipe: Vanilla Biscotti}

The only time I have thrown out a baking project is with biscotti. I got through the first bake, then while trying to slice it for the second bake, I wound up with a big crumbled mess. I was so frustrated, I dumped the whole batch in the trash. It probably didn't help that I was still in college and just got through winter quarter finals, the last thing I wanted to deal with is being stressed while baking. 

Enough time has passed (20+years) since my biscotti baking disaster, I figured it was time to give biscotti a go again. This time I looked up a trusted source, King Arthur Baking, and followed their trouble shooting suggestions. Below is an adapted version of the recipe from King Arthur Flour, it is a good basic recipe. This recipe should lend itself well to variation. As I try different variations, I will add them to this post. 

Vanilla Biscotti

This recipe is adapted from one found @https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/american-style-vanilla-biscotti-recipe

Basic Recipe:

6 tablespoon butter*

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 18"x 13" baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2 In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder until smooth and creamy.

3. Beat eggs into the butter mixture, the batter may look a but curdled. Add flour and, with mixer set on low, mix until smooth. The dough will be sticky. 

4. Place the dough onto a kitchen scale and divide the dough in half or place the prepared baking sheet and divide the dough in half just by eyeing it. Shape dough into two 9 1/2"x2" logs about 3/4" high. Smooth the top and side of the logs with a wet spatula or bowl scraper. 

5. Bake the dough in preheated oven for 25 minutes; remove from oven.

6. Using a spray bottle filled with room temperature water, lightly spray the tops and sides of the logs. This will make slicing the biscotti easier and less crumbling. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 325ºF

7. Let the baked logs sit for 5 minutes, then using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 3/4" slices. Alternatively, the logs can be cut diagonally for longer, but fewer, biscotti. Be careful to cut straight down, or else you will have uneven slices that may topple while baking. 

8. Return the biscotti flat edge down onto the prepared baking sheet. Return the biscotti to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes, or until they feel very dry and start turning light golden brown. They may feel slightly soft and moist in the very center if breaking one open for testing, but they will continue to dry out while cooling.

9. Transfer biscotti from baking sheet to cooling rack; cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Optional variations:

• Sprinkle prepared logs with coarse sugar (like turbinado) and press lightly into dough before first bake time. 
• Drizzle with white, dark, or milk chocolate 

*Note: Some recipes I looked at state the butter should be cold, but most didn't specify what temperature the butter should be. I took the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before starting the dough.

Pour a cup of hot cocoa or coffee and enjoy!