Why is my biscotti so hard

Modern-day biscotti is nothing like what it was centuries ago. Today, the cookie is commonly associated with Tuscany rather than its true Roman roots, a misconception that makes it sound a bit more romantic and intentional. In reality, the name of biscotti can be broken down into two Latin words: 'bis' which means 'twice' and 'coctum' or 'cotto' which means 'cooked. During Roman times, foods that were unleavened simply just traveled better which is why things such as bread and rolls were a no-go during long journeys.

As such, biscotti was created as a way to provide food for travelers while also ensuring the food would last and wouldn't become even staler the longer it sat out. It was often the pride of the Romans to claim that these biscotti would last for 'centuries' and, in a sense, they did - as they're still baked to this day. So, how did biscotti make its way to Tuscany? After the fall of the Roman Empire, the cookie traveled well - quite literally - emerging once again in the Tuscany region.

It was here that the cookie was no longer needed for the purpose it was intended for, and, rather, was used as a leisurely snack. What made biscotti worth eating was the act of dipping it into a glass of sweet wine which was not only delicious but also somewhat of a Tuscan staple after some time.

This made the cookie edible and softened its otherwise crunchy and too-crispy exterior, allowing diners to soak up all the flavors of the wine while also enjoying the soft texture of a cookie. It was also here that the trademark almond flavor was given to the biscotti, making it far more flavorful than anything else that could be dipped into wine. During ancient Greek times, bread was often dipped into wine as a means of breakfast or a snack - the Romans and Italians had similar ideas.

After the second bake make sure that the biscotti cools on a wire rack to allow them to crisp completely. Follow my blog with Bloglovin 4 from 2 votes. Prep Time. Cook Time. Total Time. Course: Baking. Servings : Author : shades of cinnamon. Sift flour, baking powder and caster sugar into a large bowl.

Add the cranberries and broken up cashew nuts into dry ingredients. Turn the dough out onto a very well floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide into two equal portions and roll into 15cm long logs or shorter if you want larger biscotti.

Place the slices on baking trays lined with baking paper or silpad and bake for a further minutes until golden and crisp. Watch at this stage as you dont want them to go too brown. June 12, Previous Post Next Post. Lemon Coffee Cake January 17, Healthy Bakes for Summer Snacking November 15, Reply MyCookingSerects. The biscotti look delicious..! Reply Lorraine June 12, at PM. Hope they turned out great. Reply Jenny June 12, at PM. Reply Georgina theamazingflavoursofbrazil.

Reply Prof. Is that right? Mix up your biscotti dough, shape it into a rough log, and place it on a lightly greased or parchment -lined baking sheet. The dough is easily malleable, like clay. Bake the log; it'll puff up a bit and spread out. After it's cooled for about 10 minutes, lightly spritz with lukewarm water; this will make it easier to cut. Cutting crosswise will give you short about 4" biscotti. Or cut the log at an angle, for longer, "standard-size" biscotti. Place the biscotti back on the baking sheet.

You're going to bake them again, so they become dry and crunchy all the way through. That's where the word "biscotti" comes from: the Latin for "twice baked.

Beautiful biscotti. PJ bakes and writes from her home on Cape Cod, where she enjoys beach-walking, her husband, three dogs, and really good food! Hi Jane, you may find that a little water on your hands will help to smooth out the surface of your biscotti.

Also, be sure that you're not adding extra flour if you happen to be measuring your flour by cups. For our recipes and flours we recommend either weighing your flour, or using this method to measure your flour by volume. Can you suggest how to make what you call rock hard non-american style biscotti?

My husband dips his biscotti into hot coffee in the morning and wants that old fashioned type. If you're looking for a classic, dunkable, crunchy, tasty biscotti, look no further than our Vanilla Biscotti recipe.

It's like this one, just a little less soft around the edges. Thanks, and happy dunking! Hi Diane! We don't think there would be the same benefits with biscotti dough due to the long bake time. If you find your dough is too soft to shape, you can pop it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up the dough which will help when making free-form loaves.