Iced Lemon-Pistachio Biscotti

Ever since I began this blog, I've been constantly learning.  Not only have I been learning how to cook better, but also more effortlessly.  It's so true what they say about practice; the more you do something the easier it gets.  I've always loved to cook, but I used to be more cautious with culinary experiments.  Partly due to economical reasons (it's expensive to burn up prime cuts of meat), but mostly because I had no real push to improve. This blog has motivated me to expand my ability to create amazing meals and deserts, and I'm loving it!  I've been learning how to make things I never thought I'd attempt, like cheesecake, fudge, and BISCOTTI. Did I mention that I love biscotti.

I've caught the joy-of-cooking bug, and hope I'm eternally afflicted. Although I don't have any kids yet, I can imagine how hard it would be for busy parents to find the motivation to get creative with cooking. However I think it's important to try.  Turning any meal into a communal experience helps people bond in a special way.  Allowing the kids to pitch in makes it a family event that always has a happy ending (EATING!). Patterns and predictability can be comforting at times, but they can also stagnate. Personally, there is something about exploring the world of edible art that gives me a truly visceral sense of being human.

Now onto the recipe... The only laborious part of the following recipe was grating the lemon zest. I did end up doubling the recipe so I had enough to share with my co-workers, which made the zesting process twice as long, but completely worth it.  The flavor the lemon zest adds to the biscotti is unreplaceable.  I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Mix, but feel free to use any GF baking mix you prefer.

Biscotti Ingredients

• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. natural vanilla
• 2 cups gluten free flour
• 4 tsp. finely grated lemon peel (ZESTY!!!)
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted pistachio nuts

Lemon Icing Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
  
• 2 tblsp. milk, soy milk, or lemon juice

Biscotti Cooking Directions

1. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets and set aside (I used cooking spray).
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Using an electric mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the sugar, baking power, and salt. Beat until combined, occasionally scraping the sides. Then beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
4. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Add what's left of the flour and mix by hand.
5. Stir in the shredded lemon peel and pistachio nuts.
6. Divide the dough in half, and using well floured hands, shape each portion into 8-inch long rolls.  Flatten them down a bit until they are about 2 1/2 inches wide and an inch thick.
7. Place at least 3 inches apart on your prepared cookie sheets and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and tops have cracked. Remove from oven and cool on the cookie sheet(s) for 30 minutes.
8. Take a serrated knife and cut each roll diagonally into 1/2 inch slices. Place slices cut side down on the cookie sheets. Lower the oven to 325 degrees F.. Bake biscotti for an additional 8 minutes and remove from oven. Turn each slice over and return to the oven for a final 9-10 minutes, or until dry and crisp (be careful not to burn them!).
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Once cool drizzle with lemon icing and chow down!

Lemon Icing Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, lemon peel, and chosen liquid until it reaches a drizzling consistency.  How easy is that?! 
2. Enjoy!!!