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Ingredients
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons anise extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon anise seeds
1 cup shelled, skinned hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Nutritional analysis per serving
14 grams carbs; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 108 calories; 3 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 32 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream together shortening and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add anise extract and vanilla extract, and mix well.
- Step 2
In a separate bowl, sift together 4 cups of flour, cream of tartar and baking powder. Stir in anise seeds and hazelnuts. Gradually add to shortening mixture, mixing well; dough will be soft and sticky.
- Step 3
Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using floured hands, lightly knead the dough, sprinkling with flour as needed until dough is soft but no longer sticky. Pat dough into four loaves a scant ½ inch high (they will rise when baked), about 3 inches wide, and 6 to 8 inches long.
- Step 4
Spray two baking sheets with oil, and place loaves on them. Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and cut diagonally into slices about 1 inch wide. Place slices cut-side down and return to oven to bake until undersides are light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn cookies and bake again 8 to 10 minutes until cookies are hard and golden brown on both sides.
Private Notes
Comments
I did not find these too dense. I will add about 1/2 tsp salt next time.
This is the biscotti recipe I've been searching for! Anise biscotti at many Italian bakeries are more like Anise "toast" - super light, very crispy, and must be dunked to be enjoyed. These are dense and more cookie like, easily eaten on their own. They remind me of biscotti I would buy a decade ago at Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken (before biscotti was taken off the menu and it was still an Italian bakery...)
These biscotti are too dense. Part of the enjoyment is to dunk them (espresso, tea, anisette, etc.) and they don't absorb the liquid.