Italian Anise Cookies (biscotti D'anici)

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: ITALIAN ANISE COOKIES (BISCOTTI D'ANICI)
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 48 servings

-Theresa Grant, HWWK11b
1/2 c Butter, softened
1 1/3 c Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1 md Orange, zest only, finely
-grated
1 md Lemon, zest only, finely
-grated
1 tb Anise seed
3 Eggs
3 c Flour
2 1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
2 c Almonds, coarsley chopped
-toasted

-------------------CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING-------------------
6 oz Semisweet chocolate, melted

DESCRIPTION: Crunchy, almond biscotti perfect for
dunking in coffee, tea or your favorite dessert wine.
Can be dipped in chocolate, too!

Preheat oven to 325. Beat together butter, sugar,
salt, lemon and orange zest and anise seed until
light. Add eggs one at a time, blending after each
addition. Stir in flour, baking powder and soda, and
nuts. Divide dough into thires. With buttered fingers,
shape each portion into a log, about 12 inches long
and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place logs on
well-greased baking sheets (two logs on one sheet,
third log on a second sheet). Using palms, flatten
loaves to about 1-inch thickness. Bake 25 minutes,
rotating sheets midway through baking. Remove loaves
from oven, reduce heat to 275. Using a thin bladed
knife, cut loaves at a 45-degree angle into 3/4-inch
slices. Lay slices, cut-side down, 1 1/2 inches apart
on baking sheets. Bake an additional 40 minutes, or
until very dry. Cool cookies on rack. Store airtight
10 days. CHOCOLATE-DIPPED BISCOTTI. Melt 6 oz of
semisweet chocolate. Line 2 large baking sheets with
waxed paper. Dip 3/4 inch of both ends of cooled
cookies in melted chocolate, lay on papered sheets to
dry. From "The Joy of Cookies," formatted by Theresa
Grant, HWWK11b.

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