The Strategy
The wonderful crunch of Italian biscotti comes from baking them twice, which dries them out just right for dunking. Shaping the sticky dough into logs and baking them first gives them the structure they need to be sliced on the diagonal. Returning those slices to a low oven draws out the moisture, leaving you with a clean, golden treat.
Technique Summary
Baking biscotti twice coaxes out the moisture and leaves you with a crisp, crunchy cookie that was practically made for dunking. These traditional Italian treats keep beautifully in a jar on the counter.
Chef’s Checkpoints
- Look for the dough logs to feel firm and show cracked, dry surfaces after the first bake.
- Feel the sliced biscotti; they should feel dry and rigid to the touch after the second bake.
- Listen for a clean, sharp snap when you break a cooled biscotti cookie in half.