m + M Wedding Biscotti

Our friends Mindy and Mark (m + M) are getting married next weekend! Congrats, you two!

Matt and I can't make their wedding because we'll be on our honeymoon (our wedding is just three days away!), but we could at least be there in spirit by baking some celebratory biscotti for m + M to serve to their wedding guests.

The great thing about biscotti is that it keeps for weeks. This helped us avoid the freshness issue that might have been caused by baking this tasty treat in advance. This recipe is my Nonna's, which was passed on by her childhood friend from Italy, Lucy. With a festive twist on tradition, I brushed each end of the biscotti in melted dark chocolate and dipped them in chocolate and colored sprinkles.

This recipe is wonderfully simple. With only six ingredients, it begs experimentation with your favorite add-ins or toppings (nuts, dried fruits, various chocolates, etc.). Crunchy, mildly sweet, and fabulous dipped in coffee, Matt and I have been transported straight to our Italian honeymoon every morning as we've indulged in the extra ends of the cookie loaves that didn't make it into the batch for m + M.

We love m + M for many reasons, one of which is a shared love for food and cooking. Thanks, m + M, for the chance to be a culinary part of your special day!

Lucy's Biscotti (Nonna's recipe)
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2.5 cups flour, plus 1 extra cup for adding in
2 1/3 t. baking powder
1 t. lemon or vanilla extract
3/4 cups sugar

Directions: Preheat the oven to 365 degrees. In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. In another, mix the sugar, eggs, oil and flour. Combine all the ingredients together, then add enough flour until the batter is just no longer sticky and pulls away from the sides. Form a relatively flat, long loaf and place on a floured baking sheet. Bake about 25 minutes, or until the loaf is just baked but still soft. Cut into 1/2 inch wide cookies, turn each cookie on its side, and bake for another 5-10 minutes per side or until crunchy and golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

To chocolate dip, melt chocolate in a double boiler. Brush one side of each end of the biscotti in chocolate and pour 1 T sprinkles over it. Place on a wax paper then refrigerate until the chocolate is firm.