By Stephen Kurczy, Contributor
3-1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking power
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 sticks melted butter
3 eggs
1 orange, zest and juice (a lemon also works)
1-1/2 cups nuts (your choice on kind, but I think almonds and pecans are best)
6 ounces bar chocolate
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In large bowl, whisk together sugar, melted butter, eggs, orange zest and juice. Transfer the flour mixture into the larger bowl.
3. Toast the nuts on the stovetop in a pan for a few minutes, and then add to the mixture. Stir until dough forms and then divide in two parts. Flour hands and, on two large un-greased cooking sheets, form dough into two 14- by 4-inch loaves. Place cooking sheets in oven. After 15 minutes, switch cookie sheets’ positions and bake for 15-20 more minutes.
4. Cool loaves 20 minutes. Transfer onto cutting board and, with a serrated knife, cut into half-inch pieces. Don’t press down as you cut, as that'll cause the cookie to crumble. Place the cut side down back on the cookie sheets.
5. Reduce oven to 325 degrees F. Place cookie sheets back in oven for 15 more minutes, then swap cooking sheets’ positions and bake another 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on the biscotti. Don’t let it hang off the side of the sheet because it will burn. And of course, the longer you leave it in the oven the drier and crispier your biscotti will be.) Transfer biscotti to wire rack to cool.
6. Melt chocolate in glass bowl in microwave, being careful not to burn chocolate. Add tad of Crisco for shine. Stir until smooth. Dip biscotti in chocolate and set to dry.
7. For a Christmastime biscotti, you can try topping the cookies with white chocolate, or baking with cranberry and pistachio for a red-and-green theme. Or sprinkle coconut shavings on top of the chocolate, which will give you white biscotti even if it’s not a white Christmas.
