Logs after first baking
This recipe comes from truly great people in our life. Gus and Kathleen Gustat of CasaGustat create deep, rich, and complex flavors in their dishes. They exhibit great passion in their quest for palate pleasing in the World of Fine Foods. After hearing about The Tipsy Chef web site, Kathleen wrote to me about wanting to share some of her recipes with our viewers. Before reading on, we want to make sure that you also check out CasaGustat for other tips, tricks and recipes from these wonderful people.
A quote from CasaGustat:
Kathleen Robison and Matthew “Gus” Gustat tell folks that they are “retired”. Anyone who has been around them knows that this doesn’t mean that they have slowed down much —-just that they have changed their focus from decades of work for numerous Federal Government agencies to their passion for inventing new recipies, creating wine and food pairings, and then teaching and sharing the results with friends old and new. They say that “the essence of community is to come together and share wine and food and friendship”.
Triple Anise Biscotti with Almonds
Casa Gustat 01.26.13
Preheat the oven to 375
Ingredients:
1-1/3 cup flour, extra flour for work surface
1-1/4 cup sugar
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups raw almonds
2 tbl whole anise seed
2 tbl ground anise seed
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tbl anise extract
Directions:
Place the flour, salt, baking powder, anise seed (ground and whole) in a small bowl and stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Set this bowl aside.
Place the butter in a mixing bowl and use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to beat it on medium high speed for 3 minutes. With the motor still running, add the sugar very slowly —1/4 cup at a time and beating well after each addition. When the sugar has all been added, beat the mixture on medium high speed for 5 minutes. (NOTE: don’t short-cut this step, it is really important if you want to have a fine-grained texture in your final biscottis). Next, with the motor running, add the beaten eggs one at a time—-and beat well after each addition. Then, add the anise extract and the vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients 1/3 at a time and mix well on low speed after each addition. Add the almonds and stir briefly to distribute. The dough will be very sticky and soft and it will not be possible to form logs with it by hand.
Logs cut for second baking
Generously sprinkle 2 lines of flour along the lengthwise direction on each of 2 pieces of parchment paper. Spoon out ¼ of the dough onto each of the flour lines—try to spoon in into a line—-not a round mound. Flour your hands and gently pat the dough into a 12” long 2-1/2 inch wide log shape…….use tucking motions with your hands along each side of the long to get it straight and to the desired length. Pat the top so that it is about an inch high. When you are finished, you will have 4 logs—2 on each of the 2 pieces of parchment paper.
Slip a cookie sheet underneath the parchment paper and slide the sheet (with 2 logs) onto the tray. Place the tray in the center of the oven and bake for about 16 minutes, turning it around at the ½ way point, until they are light golden brown. Repeat with the second tray.
Set the tray on a cooling rack and slip the tray out from under the parchment—leaving the logs to cool and firm up for about 10-15 minutes.
Place the log onto a cutting board and cut it on the diagonal into ½” – ¾” wide slices. Place the slices on a rack that has been fitted into a half sheet pan —or set back onto a cookie sheet —on their sides and return to the oven for 4 minutes, turn them over and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes until they are lightly golden brown on both sides. Cool completely and place in air tight container.
Pairings (click to purchase)
Logs on rack for second baking
