Anise Biscotti

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
• 1 tablespoon aniseed, crushed
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• Coarse sugar crystals for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour one large baking sheet. Cream the butter in a large bowl, if using an electric mixer put it on the high setting. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is no longer gritty. Add the eggs one at a time and beat them in on low speed. Finally, beat in vanilla, anise, and aniseed. Take another bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together and then add gradually to the butter mix. Stir until just blended. It will be very soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a log about 12 inches by 1 1/2 inches. Leave four inches between the logs on the baking sheet. Brush them with the egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar crystals for garnish. Bake until the edges are golden, about 25-30 minutes. Cool on a rack on the sheet for 10 minutes. Then cut the logs somewhat diagonally so that you get little toast slices about a half inch thick, and arrange those on the baking sheet again, turned on their sides. Bake for 10 more minutes. Then put the baking sheet on the cooling rack again.

NOTE: If you don't know what anise tastes like, you probably ought to be warned that it's the taste of black licorice. If you like black licorice/black jellybeans, you will probably enjoy this even though it sounds like a strange thing for a biscotti to taste like licorice. It is more an aftertaste, really, and it is quite good unless you really hate that taste. Variation tip: If you want a change or you just don't like anise flavor, try substituting (in the same amounts) orange rind for aniseed and orange extract for anise extract, or the same for lemon, to make citrus-flavored biscotti.