Image by Liquid Lucidity

Biscotti is a great treat to have with your coffee on a lazy weekend morning. It’s simple to make, but time-consuming, due to its twice-baked nature. Be sure to keep the finished product sealed tightly in an air-tight container; stale biscotti are soft and blah.

Iced Anise Biscotti

For biscotti:

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons anise extract
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 5 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For icing:

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy (about 15 minutes with electric mixer). Add eggs, one at a time, and both extracts. Slowly add flour mixture, 1/3 at a time.

Divide dough into fourths. On cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silpat, shape each portion into a flat loaf. Bake for 15-20 minutes of until lightly colored. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

With a serrated knife, cut each loaf into 1″ thick slices. Lay each slice flat on a lined baking sheet and return to oven for about 15-20 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

While cookies are cooling, whisk together confectioner’s sugar, lemon extract, and milk until mixture is smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Allow icing to dry completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.