Biscotti are a twice-baked, oblong-shaped cookie from Italy. The word biscottio, known as biscotti today, is derived from bis (twice) and cotto (cooked) and derives from the custom of baking cookie dough in long slabs, cutting it into a third to a half-inch thick, long cookies, and baking them again. By baking them twice, they lose any excess moisture which makes them nice and crunchy.  

There are hundred of recipes for biscotti throughout Italy, but other than flavoring (biscotti can also be subtly-sweet or savory) they fall into two distinct categories: those made with butter and those made without butter or any shortening. The butter enhanced cookie results in a more tender shortbread-like texture, while those without butter are drier and harder. The butterless ones don't easily disintegrate when dipped and are best served with a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of Port or Vin Santo in which to dip them. 

Today, Americans are creating a biscotti renewal, embracing this Italian dessert with such enthusiasm that biscotti can now be found in every coffee houses, bakery and supermarkets and is sometimes served at restaurants. Plus, biscotti can be made at home as any other cookie. 

Biscotti are classically flavored with almonds, chocolate, almond, hazelnut or anise seed, but today, the sky's the limit. I have seen varieties with dried red tart cherries, raisins, cinnamon, fennel or poppy seeds, allspice, mace, citrus zest, ground toasted nuts, miniature dark or white chocolate chips. Popular today is to dip one side in melted chocolate.

TO MAKE BISCOTTI: Rather than making trays and trays of individual cookies, the cookies are cut from a baked slipped-shaped log of dough and then baked again. Biscotti is typically baked in the middle of the middle shelf in a 350 degree preheated oven.

Biscotti are made from a dry, dense dough typically containing all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder or baking soda, eggs, flavorings and add-ins, such as nuts, raisins, cornmeal etc. The dough is stirred with a rubber spatula or spoon until a stiff dough forms. Do not mix the dough with an electric mixer.

After making the dough, scrape it out onto a lightly floured work surface. I like to BRIEFLY knead it while counting to 10 until the dough just comes together. Some recipes say to then divide the dough. If you do, use a kitchen scale to get equal portions. For extra long biscotti, make one large log so the cookies can be 7 to 10 inches in length for that "gourmet" look.

The dough is then PRESSED together with the palms of your hands. It will look like it barely sticks together, but don't attempt to add water or knead the dough again. Roll each portion under the palms of your hands into a cylinder a little shorter than your baking sheet. Place the logs of dough on an UNGREASED baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Make sure they are neither too close to each other nor to the sides of the pan. Press down gently with the palm of your hand to flatten the logs. 

Biscotti logs usually bake for about 25 to 30 minutes (smaller ones bake faster), or until they are well risen and have also spread to about double their original size. The logs are done when pressed with fingertip they feel firm or dry to the touch and appear LIGHTLY browned. Do not overbake your biscotti as it continues to crisp as it cools. 

Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the biscotti logs to cool for ten to fifteen minutes before they are sliced into wafers, which are returned to the oven to crisp up. Leave the temperature at 350 degrees. 

Then, place one of the cooled logs on a cutting board and cut it diagonally into slices 1/3-inch thick or whatever the recipe suggests. Use a sharp, serrated knife or an electric knife which works great. The thinner they are, the crispier they get; the thicker they are, they will remain somewhat soft in the middle. The biscotti log or cookie may crumble while trying to cut it. If it does, wrap the baked dough and freeze overnight. The next day, a serrated knife will produce thin slices. This technique is especially useful when the biscotti contains whole nuts.

To bake again, arrange the biscotti on the prepared pans, cut side down. It isn't necessary to leave space between them. If you need two oven racks, reset them in the upper and lower thirds. Bake the biscotti for about 15 or 20 minutes or until they are lightly toasted; don't over do it because if too brown, they become rock hard when cooled. Cool the biscotti in their pan on a rack. 

When cooled, biscotti can be glazed or drizzled with chocolate: Start by lining a baking sheet with waxed paper.  For a very hard chocolate covering, temper no less than 16 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate per 48 cookies. Using a small icing knife, spread melted chocolate on one side of each cookie or dip cookie by holding onto its edges and press down into a shallow pan of chocolate. Otherwise, simply dip one end of each biscotti in melted chocolate - or, 'double dip': dip one end, cool, then make a second "shallow" dip - one end dark, one end white. Place dipped cookies on the baking sheet and let it set for 1 hour until thoroughly firm. 

To drizzle, place cookie on cake rack set over a waxed paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Place tempered chocolate in a small plastic bag. Snip off the end with a small opening and squiggle chocolate over the cookie. Let chocolate set for about and hour or so.

Store: the cooled biscotti between sheets of parchment or wax paper (especially when you have chocolate dipped ones) in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover. They will keep well for quite a while. They also freeze nicely (except for chocolate dipped) in an airtight plastic bag for a few months. You can freeze glazed biscotti but the gloss of the chocolate will dull.