Learning how to make Biscotti is not difficult if you just know the correct steps to take. A Biscotti is a twice baked Italian cookie that was originally made for travelers because of their very long shelf life. The Roman Legions even used the cookies to dunk in their wine. Biscotti are from the Tuscan region in Italy http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Italian-Biscotti/Detail.aspx, but nowadays they are also widely available in the United States.

The original Biscotti is Almond flavored but there are many flavors of Biscotti available. Flavors include Apricot Hazelnut, Butterscotch, Cappuccino, Cashew Sesame, Cherry Almond, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Cappuccino, Chocolate Cherry Amaretto, Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Macadamia, Chocolate Pistachio, Cinnamon Almond, Cinnamon Hazelnut, Cinnamon Pecan and many more. Biscotti are often frosted with different kinds of melted chocolate. You can flavor your Biscotti any way you like, it all depends on your personal preference.

Biscotti dough is rolled into log shapes and baked once. They are then sliced diagonally by hand and baked a second time to make them firm and crunchy. When making Biscotti you are in charge of how big you make the cookies. In general Biscotti come in a 3" size, a 5" size, and a 7".http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/main/cookies/cookies2/the-origin-of-biscotti.asp

Biscotti are considered a gourmet treat. They are being called "The Cookie of the 90s" because they are surpassing the chocolate chip cookie in popularity. The recipe below describes the steps to make Almond Biscotti. You will need to have about 1 hour available to make the cookies. Preparation time takes about 20 minutes and baking time is about 40 minutes. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Italian-Biscotti/Detail.aspx

To make 15 Italian Biscotti you will need the following ingredients http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Italian-Biscotti/Detail.aspx:

• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Knife
• 2 Cookie sheet
• 12 ounces butter
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon anise extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 8 ounces chopped almonds

1. To make the dough for your Biscotti start by mixing the butter and sugar together.

2. Crack the six eggs and add them to your mixture one at a time. Beat the mixture until it's of a fluffy consistency.

3. Incorporate 1 teaspoon of the Anise extract and 2 teaspoons of the Vanilla extracts.

4. Sift the salt, bakingpowder, and flour and add them all into your mixing bowl.

5. Add the chopped almonds to the mixture.

6. Stir the dough with a spoon and when it comes together proceed to knead it by hand. You can take it out of the bowl and knead it on a surface that has been lightly floured. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface.

Your dough is now ready. We can now proceed with shaping the cookies and baking them.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F ( 165 degrees C ).

2. Divide your dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each piece of dough to form 15 inch long logs.

3. Take your cookie sheets and place 2 logs on each sheet.

4. Softly push down on the logs so that they end up being about 3 inches wide with a slight hump going down the middle.

5. Place the logs in the preheated oven and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes. The logs should be firm when you take them out of the oven.

6. Take a loaf and start slicing it diagonally in 1/2 inch pieces. Do this with the all the loafs.

7. Now the cookies are going to go back into the oven, so place the slices back onto the cookie sheets. Toast on one side of the cookies and then turn them over and toast the other side. This takes about 7 to 10 minutes.

8. After removing the Biscotti from the oven, let them cool off. Enjoy them with the beverage of your choice.