This is the biscotti that I love the most and I post it here especially for my friends, Angelina and Carolyn.

I think they love it almost as much as I do.

I’ve mentioned before that I am a ginger fiend and this contains tiny little specks of absolute deliciousness in the form of some of Buderim’s best.

But more on that later.

I discovered this recipe on www.foodfit.com, according to the printout I have in my Biscotti file.

The thing is though…it doesn’t seem to be there any more. It’s disappeared sometime in the last 8 years or so.

Too spooky for me, as The Boy would say.

Never mind, I’m about to pop it up here for all of you wonderful people to enjoy and especially for Angelina and Carolyn. 🙂

This biscotti recipe uses crystallised ginger cut into tiny little pieces. I prefer to use Buderim’s Naked Ginger, which is the same sort of thing but without the traditional coating of sugar.

I find it not only reduces the sweetness a little (of course) but also makes it much easier to cut up! I don’t end up with sugar clinging to my fingers and my knife/scissor blade and sticking to everything…

It’s just nicer. I also like to use a few pieces of this particular product snipped up (using kitchen shears) into my breakfast yoghurt or porridge. However, for this post, I used the regular stuff for those of you who don’t have access to Buderim’s products. (I’m so sorry for you all!)

But back to the biscotti.

It’s relatively easy to make. The flour, sugar, ginger and white pepper are all sifted together.

The original recipe called for black pepper, but I think white pepper is better, aesthetically-speaking.

The biscotti nibbler isn’t distracted from the jewel-like flecks of ginger in their biscuit by little black specks…

Hmmm, is it just me?

Stir them up a bit. Then add the orange zest and finely chopped ginger.

Stir it up a bit more. Then, in a small bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs and 4 tablespoons of the oranges’ juice.

Make a well in your flour and add the liquid to the dry.

Mix well, until it forms a stiff dough.

I have to admit that I have NEVER made a stiff dough with this recipe. Ever.

It usually looks like this:

According to the recipe, I should then put the batter on a lightly sugared surface and divide and roll it into 4 pieces.

Nothing is ever not going to happen like that isn’t. It doesn’t need the extra sugar, for a start.

I simply line a baking tray with silicon paper and then scoop the batter out onto it in two roughly straight bits. Like this:

No-one has ever complained that my biscotti are not geometrically perfect. They know better than to speak with their mouths full.

It is then baked in a moderately hot oven for 15 mins, during which the ‘logs’ double in width (and the scraggy edges kind of smooth out). When they are firm to the touch, they get taken out and cooled on racks for about 15 mins.

During the cooling period the oven is also turned down a tad.

When your logs are cool to the touch, that is the time to wield your serrated knife. With gusto.

The importance of the serrated knife is explained here.

Slice (saw) your biscotti into slices about 1 cm or ½ an inch thick. Traditionally this is done on a slant, you don’t have to follow tradition. If you’d prefer straight and not diagonal slices, then go for it.

Your biscotti will seem somewhat cake-like, be gentle with them.

They are now placed back onto the baking trays and popped back into the oven for another 10 mins, until golden brown. If they aren’t getting to be crisp, then turn them over and pop them back in for another 5-10 mins.

When they are getting to golden, take them out. Remember they will continue to harden after they are taken out of the oven.

Place back on the cake racks and cool completely. Then dunk them in something worthy of them.

I’m going to reproduce the recipe as it is in my biscotti file, but if you don’t have a firm dough and don’t want to make play-do type sugar-coated sausages with it, then see above.