Pignoli (Pine Nut) Biscotti

**Update** Thanks to Chris for leaving a comment. When I went to visit her blog, I discovered that her biscotti baking pictures were the ones that had inspired me to bake some of my own. I had not remembered whose blog it was until she posted. Thanks, Chris!**

Yesterday, Master Chow went away on a business trip, and it was snowing outside. With a number of food items that need to be used up, what else could I do but bake? That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!I baked four batches of cookies – two biscotti recipes and two drop cookie recipes. Here, I present you with Pignoli Biscotti.

I really like pine nuts. And lemon is one of My Top Five Favorite Flavors. This cookie has both. Oh, you want to know all five flavors? Here they are: passion fruit, lemon (and orange and lime), vanilla, butter, almond. Yes, I love chocolate, but I find that I rarely order a chocolate dessert. If passion fruit is on the menu, that’s what I get. No contest.

So I pulled out a little book I’ve had sitting on the shelf for a few months, Biscotti, and started baking. The cookies are a soft golden color, with a discernible but not overpowering taste of lemon. Surprising, given the amount of lemon zest in them. The pine nuts are a creamy counterpoint to the lemon.

Not willing to let good enough alone, I dipped some of them in semi-sweet chocolate. I’ve paraphrased the recipe for brevity.

Pignoli Biscotti

2/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 F and set rack in the middle. Place nuts in shallow pan and toast until light brown. Let cool.

Combine butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, lemon juice, and zest. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients until well mixed. Stir in nuts.

Divide dough in half. On a greased and floured baking sheet (or a Silpat) roll dough into two separate logs about 12 inches long, 1 1/2 – 2 inches wide, and about 1 – 1 1/2 inches tall.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned (I had to bake them for 35 minutes, but your oven may be different). Remove from oven, transfer logs carefully to cooling rack, and cool for about 5-10 minutes.

Place logs on cutting board and slice cookies about 1/2 inch thick, using a serrated knife positioned at a 45 degree angle. Lay slices flat on baking sheet and return to oven to dry out, about 10-12 minutes total. After about 5 minutes, turn the cookies over. Let cool on rack.