Vanilla Bean Biscotti

While I love vanilla extract and vanilla sugar (as I shared with you yesterday), I also love to use vanilla beans when I am baking.  One of my favorite recipes is a simple recipe for vanilla bean biscotti.

It may seem strange that I love biscotti so much… In fact, sometimes I can’t quite wrap my head around it, either.  I’m normally more of a chunky, chewy cookie fan.  So, it’s a bit out of character that I love the crisp, twice-baked cookies with no chocolate chunks or caramel.  But, I do.

The redeeming quality of the crisp (even hard!) biscotti is the way they just seem to go perfectly with a cup of coffee. Take away the coffee… And, I’m not the least bit interested in biscotti.  But, there’s just something about dunking a cookie in coffee, isn’t there?

Now that I have you craving a cup of coffee… And, some biscotti to dunk in it… Let’s talk about the recipe! Biscotti couldn’t be easier to make.  I discovered a recipe for Italian biscotti in the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion a while back, and I’ve been using it ever since.  It’s a great starter for all sorts of different flavors, and it always turns out beautifully.  I cannot say the same for other biscotti recipes I’ve tried.

These vanilla bean biscotti are particularly simple.  I basically used the standard Italian biscotti recipe and subbed in a fresh vanilla bean for the vanilla extract in the recipe.  They may sound a bit plain, but the flavor from the vanilla bean really adds a lot more than the extract does.  Just add a cup of French roast coffee or espresso!

Vanilla Bean Biscotti
Makes about 16 biscotti
(Slightly adapted from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a knife to slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape the seeds out of each half.  Add the vanilla bean seeds to the mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and frothy.

Reduce the speed on the mixer to the lowest setting and gradually add in the flour, mixing just until all the flour is incorporated.

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a flat log, approximately 1-inch in thickness. Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, and let cool for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Lightly mist the baked log with water and let rest for an additional 5 minutes.

Carefully slice the log on a diagonal, making each slice approximately 3/4-inch thick.  Stand the biscotti upright on the baking sheet, and bake for an additional 25 minutes.  Transfer the biscotti to a baking rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Please Note – The links to the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion provided in this post are Amazon affiliate links.