I love experimenting with foods that have a simple base but can be customized and altered in fun ways. For me, biscotti is one such food. Once you have the dough, you can create any flavor profile your heart desires. It’s the stuff of dreams. Which is why you will probably see a good deal of biscotti on this blog as I have had my fair share of experimenting 😉 This recipe makes use of the beautifully aromatic fennel seed, which we picked up from a bazaar in Istanbul. Often confused with anise (which I am guilty of doing) and used in Indian and Middle Eastern sweets, this sweet spice boasts many health benefits from relieving anemia to indigestion. Not that we need anymore excuses to eat cookies. And because we take our hot drinks very seriously, we suggest you pair these beauties with a warm chai tea latte or sahlab and savor each crumbly dunk.
Aromatic Fennel Biscotti
Ingredients
2 cups of all-purpose flour (and extra for kneading)
3/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla (we use Trader Joe’s brand)
1/4 cup of fennel seeds
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In one bowl, beat the sugar, salt, butter, vanilla, and eggs (one at a time) until smooth.
- Pour in the sifted flour and baking powder and mix well until it forms a dough-like consistency. As the mixing becomes more difficult, flour your hands and knead until smooth.
- Add in the fennel and knead by hand for a few minutes until the fennel seeds are evenly spread throughout the dough.
- Place your dough on the baking sheet and shape it into a log (about 12 inches long, 2 inches thick) using your hands.
- Bake until light golden brown about 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes.
- On a cutting board, cut your log into 1/2 inch thick slices using a sharp serrated knife. I also cut these slices in half as I like my biscotti more bite size.
- Place each slice side-up on the baking sheet and return to the oven to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until a deeper golden brown.
- Move your biscotti to a rack and let them cool.
- Enjoy 🙂
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