Cornmeal Biscotti

Although I found it a bit challenging to work with the dough (I've never been much of a baker), I ended up with a biscotti that I love -- both flavor and texture.

I used the almonds rather than the hazelnuts. Compared to my usual recipe for almond biscotti (from Fine Cooking), this has a finer texture and a more subtle flavor.

I didn't have any anisette, so I used about 1/4 tsp. of anise extract. I also had to bake the biscotti (first bake) quite a bit longer than the 15-20 minutes called for in the recipe.

Crunchy, sweet-salty, nutty (almonds), and perfect. This was the best Biscotti I've ever had. The recipe says that it gets better after a couple days - but I cannot imagine how one can let these wait.

I prepared a single batch to see if its good enough for the neighbors. I found that I had to bake the initial long rolls quite a bit longer than the 15 - 20 minutes suggested; probably I baked them 30 minutes and they were still fairly soft.

I didn't have the anisette that the recipe called for, and substituted Pernod, a french liqueur with a distinct anise flavor. The cookies had a lovely but subtle anise flavor.

Highly recommended!