Treat of the Week: Beautiful Biscotti

I learned something this weekend. I had always thought that the crunchy Italian cookies known as “biscotti” are so called because they are “biscuits.” However, I discovered that the name actually means “twice baked” because the dough is baked once in a loaf and then sliced into its traditional shape and baked again. The reason for this was to remove the moisture from the cookies so that they’d last longer in the days before preservatives.


This revelation came about when I visited my parents to find that my mother had baked some gorgeous biscotti. We’ve not had her biscotti in quite a long time (though there’s been no shortage of baked goods in the interim) and we were quite thrilled to have them. My mother has added cinnamon and pecans to the recipe, giving the biscotti a rich, spicy crunch. The bottom of each is coated in either white or dark chocolate which adds a creaminess to these lovely creations.

Biscotti are excellent with a cup of tea or coffee and make a great accompaniment to a cup of pudding or ice cream. Of course, they’re perfect all on their own, too.