[Guest Post] Homemade Biscotti by Dina-Marie

If you are like me and love your coffee, be it morning, afternoon or night, you also enjoy biscotti. But also like me, you might not enjoy it as often as you would like because of the price. Besides that, most recipes are too involved and do not turn out quite right. Here is a wonderfully easy and good recipe. I will first give the basic recipe and then some variations.

Pecan Biscotti

1/4 c. butter                             1 whole egg white

3/4 c. sugar                              2 c. flour

1/2 tsp salt                                1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla                               3/4 c. chopped pecans

1 whole egg                               1 egg white beaten (to brush on top)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix butter, sugar, salt and vanilla.

Add egg and egg white - mix well.

Add flour, baking powder and nuts. Stir well adding a bit more flour if needed to make a sticky but workable dough.

Form dough into a long log about 3/4 inches high and 2 1/2 - 3 inches wide and 15 inches long. Brush top with beaten egg white.

Bake in preheated oven 350F for 30-35 min.

Remove from oven and after a couple of minutes, lift log off pan to cutting board. Cut into bars about 1/2 inch thick.

Place bars cut side up on cookie sheet and return to oven. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes longer.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Variations: I have used all white flour and also used half whole wheat and half white flour.

Substitute maple flavoring for vanilla.

Add 1/2 c. dry fruit such as dried apricots to batter.

Any nut may be used such as hazelnuts or almonds.

Bio: Dina-Marie has 10 children and blogs at Dimes2Vines.com. She lives in west Texas and enjoys working with her family in the vineyard, blogging about their life experiences and their lifestyle change from the corporate world to farm life.