Wild Hickory Nut Biscotti

A biscotti worthy of holiday gift-giving! When collecting nuts, be sure to taste what you find and avoid the bitternut hickory, whose name tells you all you need to know. Shagbark hickory trees, easily identifiable by their shaggy, upward-curling bark, produce especially choice nuts. adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: Makes 20-30 biscotti

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes  

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4-1/2 cup hickory nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs separately and add them to the dry mixture, then stir in the syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and nuts.

When the dough is just smooth, flour your hands and lift the dough onto the greased sheet. Shape it into two logs 10-15 inches long, with flattened tops. Bake 25-30 minutes, and cool on the pan about 10 minutes.

Then, using an un-serrated knife, slice the logs into sharp diagonals about a half-inch thick. Flip them over on the pan, wide-side down and bake 15 more minutes at 325. Cool the biscotti on a rack.

If you package these for gift-giving, be sure to tell the recipient the cookies can be re-crisped by placing them in a low oven for a few minutes.

Categories: Cookies & Bars, Gift Basket Goodies, Holiday

Tags: Christmas Cookie, Italian

Submitted by: backyardandbeyond on November 9, 2011