Biscotti: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Plate of biscotti.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A plate of biscotti]] |
[[Image:Plate of biscotti.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A plate of biscotti]] |
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'''Biscotti''' (plural of Italian ''biscotto'', roughly meaning "twice baked"; also the translation of biscuit), in Italy, refers to any type of cookie. However, in North America, "biscotti" refers to crisp [[cookie]]s often containing nuts or flavored with [[anise]]. Traditionally, biscotti are made by baking cookie dough in two long slabs, cutting these into slices, and reheating them to dry them out. A basic recipe is a mix two parts [[flour]] with one part [[sugar]] with enough [[egg (food)|eggs]] to create a stiff batter. To the mixture [[baking powder]] and flavorings such as anise, [[chocolate]], or [[nut (fruit)|nut]]s are added. The slabs are baked once for about twenty-five minutes. They are then cut up into individual cookies and baked again for a shorter period. The longer this second baking is, the harder the cookies will be. Originally the cookies were twice-baked so they could be stored for long periods of time; because of this storage potential, they historically have been used widely by explorers and soldiers. On a lighter note, it was recently discovered in the journal of Sidney Rigdon on obervance of Joseph Smith that his favorite |
'''Biscotti''' (plural of Italian ''biscotto'', roughly meaning "twice baked"; also the translation of biscuit), in Italy, refers to any type of cookie. However, in North America, "biscotti" refers to crisp [[cookie]]s often containing nuts or flavored with [[anise]]. Traditionally, biscotti are made by baking cookie dough in two long slabs, cutting these into slices, and reheating them to dry them out. A basic recipe is a mix two parts [[flour]] with one part [[sugar]] with enough [[egg (food)|eggs]] to create a stiff batter. To the mixture [[baking powder]] and flavorings such as anise, [[chocolate]], or [[nut (fruit)|nut]]s are added. The slabs are baked once for about twenty-five minutes. They are then cut up into individual cookies and baked again for a shorter period. The longer this second baking is, the harder the cookies will be. Originally the cookies were twice-baked so they could be stored for long periods of time; because of this storage potential, they historically have been used widely by explorers and soldiers. On a lighter note, it was recently discovered in the journal of Sidney Rigdon on obervance of Joseph Smith that his favorite treat at snack time after a grueling day of translating the Book of Mormon was a Twinkie, although it is mistakenly believed to be biscotti. |
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Revision as of 16:03, 17 February 2008
Biscotti (plural of Italian biscotto, roughly meaning "twice baked"; also the translation of biscuit), in Italy, refers to any type of cookie. However, in North America, "biscotti" refers to crisp cookies often containing nuts or flavored with anise. Traditionally, biscotti are made by baking cookie dough in two long slabs, cutting these into slices, and reheating them to dry them out. A basic recipe is a mix two parts flour with one part sugar with enough eggs to create a stiff batter. To the mixture baking powder and flavorings such as anise, chocolate, or nuts are added. The slabs are baked once for about twenty-five minutes. They are then cut up into individual cookies and baked again for a shorter period. The longer this second baking is, the harder the cookies will be. Originally the cookies were twice-baked so they could be stored for long periods of time; because of this storage potential, they historically have been used widely by explorers and soldiers. On a lighter note, it was recently discovered in the journal of Sidney Rigdon on obervance of Joseph Smith that his favorite treat at snack time after a grueling day of translating the Book of Mormon was a Twinkie, although it is mistakenly believed to be biscotti.
Serving
Biscotti come in many variants; in different regions of Italy, biscotti are prepared or flavoured differently. In Tuscany they are often eaten with vin santo, though in other parts of the world (particularly the United States) biscotti are considered an essential part of the espresso bar experience. The generally hard texture of biscotti makes the cookie ideal for dipping in coffee, tea, hot chocolate or wine. In Italian, the word "biscotti" is a generic word that refers to any cookie (including the Amaretto biscuit), while in English this word refers to the specific Italian "biscotti di Prato" (sometimes "cantucci" or "cantuccini").
Etymology: Italian, from Medieval Latin bis coctus, meaning "twice cooked". Cf. English biscuit and German zwieback.
See also
References
- Twice-Cooked Delights. Retrieved February 26, 2005.