For this month’s Home Baker’s challenge, hosted by Priya, the theme was biscotti. Biscotti are light, crunchy, twice-baked Italian biscuits. I usually struggle when making eggless biscotti—the tops tend to crack and it’s hard to get a neat oblong shape. Priya shared four recipes for this challenge, including an eggless version that produced perfectly shaped biscotti, so I decided to try her recipe. My logs didn’t shape as neatly, but the biscotti were delicious: super light, crisp, and a big hit at home. Appearance aside, the flavor was divine and all 22 pieces disappeared within two days. I’ve postponed a second batch because I’m out of chocolate, but my daughter is already asking for more. Don’t judge these by their looks—give them a try and enjoy.
Recipe Source: Priya
Ingredients:
Flour (Maida) – 1 1/2 cups
Oats – 1/2 cup
Cocoa powder – 1 tbsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
Salt – a pinch
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Butter – 1/2 cup (softened)
Melted bittersweet chocolate – 1/4 cup
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Procedure:
1. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in the melted bittersweet chocolate and vanilla extract.
4. Add the dry mixture and gently knead to form a soft dough. If the dough is crumbly, add a few drops of milk to bring it together.
5. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
6. Shape each portion into a log and place them on a greased baking sheet.
7. Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).
8. Bake the loaves for 20–25 minutes. Watch them closely to prevent over-browning.
9. Remove the loaves from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet. They will feel soft while hot but firm up as they cool.
10. Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves into 1/2-inch thick oval slices.
11. Arrange the slices on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes on one side.
12. Flip the slices and bake for another 5 minutes on the other side.
13. The biscotti may still feel slightly soft immediately after the second bake but will crisp up as they cool.
14. Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely.
15. Store in an airtight container to preserve crunchiness.
16. Serve with a cup of coffee or tea for the classic experience.
Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add melted chocolate and vanilla.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Combine the dry mix with the butter-chocolate mixture to form a soft dough.
If needed, add a little milk to bring the dough together.
Divide the dough and shape into two logs.
Bake the loaves for 20–25 minutes until just set.
Slice the cooled loaves into even pieces with a serrated knife.
Toast each side of the slices for about 5 minutes until crisp.
Allow the biscotti to cool, store in an airtight container, and enjoy with a cup of coffee.