Cinnamon-Vanilla Bean Biscotti

Cinnamon-Vanilla Bean Biscotti paired with a mug of Vietnamese Coffee

I do have a list of things that I want to make, try, or perfect at home and it seems that with every cookbook I read or food show I watch, I keep getting further and further inspired and thus, my list grows longer. There's quite the range of items from classic, from global influences, classic dishes or even just different spices and blends I want to try. I also have a nice space devoted to just combinations of things that I think might work or that I'm curious about and I turn to it often, especially when I feel like I'm in a cooking rut.

My list lives in this super cute notebook with pictures of jams, jarred and pickled items on the front that makes me happy every time I look at it. Lately I've been on a roll with my list and in the last couple of weeks I've made a classic Rye Bread, Moussaka and Monte Cristo Waffles. Also taking up residence on my list (and for quite some time I might add) has been to create my own Biscotti recipe.

I had done a lot of research on Biscotti recipes and, to my surprise, they're quite simple to make. Mix flour with softened butter, eggs and sugar and then add in whatever else you want, including nuts and dried fruit or chocolate. You bake it once as a big log and then let it cool, slice, and bake it again to gt crisp individual biscottis. I decided to keep things simple on this run, just sticking with some vanilla bean, lots of cinnamon and a bit of allspice. I also found that using Turbinado sugar made for a nice crackly finish and hearty little bite. While I think I could use a little more practice on shaping biscottis, I love the irregularity of this batch and the taste, well, that speaks for itself.

Cinnamon-Vanilla Bean Biscotti 

- 2 eggs
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup Turbinado sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 TBS Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Allspice
- 1 Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
- Pinch of Salt

Preheat the oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Using a stand mixer or hand blender, blend eggs, butter and sugar until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, Allspice, the Vanilla Bean Seeds and pinch of salt. Mix until well combined and then add half of the dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend. Add the rest of the dry mixture and blend until the dough just comes together. Roll out the dough into a flat log. Bake the dough on the parchment lined baking sheet until the dough is cooked through and just beginning to turn golden brown (about 30-40 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool for about 20-30 minutes. Once it's cool enough to handle, but still a little warm, slice the log into 1 inch slices and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the biscottis are crisp and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool before eating. Store in an airtight container.