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You know what a Biscotti is...a delicious but crunchy Italian cookie that's been celebrated (and maybe jeered a little) for it's distinctive, twice-baked texture. Now a bake shop in San Francisco has a way to soften the Biscotti, and make it a little less crunchy. Marlo Gertz, who owns Marlo's Bake Shop in San Francisco told Tonia's Kitchen she looked to her Russian grandmother's recipe and found that by using oil instead of butter, you get a Biscotti that's tender, but still a Biscotti. Find out more about Marlo's Bakeshop on their website.
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon shredded lemon peel
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
With a fork, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and salt until homogeneous. Add the walnuts, raisins, and lemon peel and mix until the raisins and walnuts are uniformly coated. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture. Mix with a spoon or knead with the hook of a stand-up mixer. The dough may be sticky. Oil your hands and shape the dough into two loaves 1/2 inch (13 mm) thick. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes on a greased sheet. While warm, slice into half-inch strips with a sharp knife. Return the slices to the oven at 350°F for 15 min., turn over and bake another 15 minutes until crisp.
