In Italian, the word biscotti means two or more cookies. But if we break down the word as we generally do with cookies, ‘bis’ and ‘Cotto’ literally mean ‘twice’ and ‘baked.’ Italian biscotti cookies were discovered by Romans. They started by baking the bread twice in order to keep it well during long journeys. Soon the concept of baking twice was used in the cookies as well, and that is when biscotti came into existence. From soldiers to sailors, everyone preferred eating the bread and cookies by baking them twice.
The twice-baked texture of biscotti gives it a crunchy and firm flavor, which further makes it one of the most liked Italian cookies. The best Italian cookies demand perfect baking and storing. Here are a few tips for storing and baking Italian cookies.
- Italian biscotti cookies are always made by preheating the oven. To ensure evenly baked biscotti, you should position the racks of the oven in upper and lower thirds. Also, by rotating sheets halfway through the baking process, you will get the perfectly baked brown biscottis.
- If you are a newbie at baking biscotti, then use the best ingredients that you can afford. The slightest change in the type or quantity of components can cause a massive difference in the biscotti. For example, using large-sized eggs or a variety o flour can change the flavor of the biscotti. So better use the exact ingredients that are specified in the recipe.
- Buy Italian cookies online that are made by mixing the best biscotti dough. While mixing the dough in the process of baking biscotti, make sure it is dry and crumbly. Squeeze the batter gently until it forms s dough. And if the batter seems dry, add an egg to it. You can also add a liquid as per the ingredients mentioned in the recipe. But if the batter is sticky, add some flour to it. Remember to add the flour in small increments and mix it well.
- Place two cookies at a time on the baking sheet and try not to bake biscotti on a humid day. In case you are left with no option then refrigerate the unbaked cookie logs for around 20 minutes and then go ahead with placing them in the oven.
- After you are done baking, let the baked biscotti cool for half an hour and then proceed with slicing them down through a serrated knife. This will help you in reducing crumbling.
- To make the biscotti crisper and harder, bake them again for ten more minutes at the same temperature. You can also turn off the heat and palace biscotti in the warm oven for almost an hour.
- After the biscotti cools down completely, garnish it with chocolate or icing.
- Lastly, whenever you order Italian cookies online, make sure you store them in a metal tin to keep the crispness alive for a long time. If the biscotti is stored correctly, it can even last for a month.
