Anise biscotti

Those that know me well, know that I am a true Girl Scout type. I do not cross in the middle of the block, I do wait patiently in line and I do help others. And I do not steal. Except once. In the late 1980's, I borrowed a magazine from the library. I wanted to keep it so badly, that I did. I claimed that the magazine was lost and paid the fine. That magazine was a December issue and full of cookie recipes. Many great cookie recipes. Including this one.

Anise Biscotti
375° 20 minutes plus 5 more

4 T. butter- ½ stick
¾ cup sugar
Cream together.
Add 3 eggs.
Add 2 ½ cup flour
2 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
1 T. anise seeds

Chill dough and form 2- 3”x10” loaves on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes.
Slice into ¾ “ slices and turn cut side down. Bake 5 minutes longer or until lightly golden.

It's a quick and easy recipe- not too much butter and plenty of eggs to be sort of 'healthy'. Instead of the anise seeds, I have made these with chocolate chips and orange zest and oil. And made them with nuts. Whatever you like.

When you press the dough out, you can decide how long you want the cookie to be. I like them on the short side, so I keep the loaf narrow. You can make them very long and skinny- like the ones that you see in coffee shops.

After they have baked for 20 minutes, remove sheet and get a sharp knife. Carefully, run the knife under the loaf to loosen it from the sheet. Then, cut the loaf into slices. Turn each slice- cut side up- juggling a bit to make room on the sheet. Especially if you have cut narrow slices- there will be lot of them.

The recipe now calls for the cookies to return to the oven for another 5 minutes of baking time. This works well but my stove is from the 1940's and has gas pilot lights. This keeps the oven at just the right temperature to dry the cookies out- to perfection. So, I just turn off the oven and pop the sheet back in. That keeps me from having to set the timer again.

I often keep the cookies in the oven until I need it for something else. They are wonderful- warm to the touch. The kids don't know to look there- until they find them and then they are gone.

That's why you don't see the cookies on a plate. They never made it that far.