My Mama's Lemon Pistachio Biscotti

Does your mother make biscotti?  Mine does and it is so good.  It's so tasty that when The Mister and I were on a date a couple Saturday's ago, we wandered into a coffee shop and he spotted their biscotti offerings and immediately asked if I'd make him some.

Now, if you've ever had to shell 1 cup of pistachios, you might understand my slight hesitation before joyously agreeing to make them.  Then, later that week, I may have mocked my beloved husband's childhood fear: clowns under the bed, demonic trees and pink sludge...and so, needing to repent for my cruelty, promptly made them as an, I'm sorry, my dear, clowns really are scary and I'll look under the bed to make sure there isn't one trying to drag you under every night for a month and I apologize a thousand times for teasing you.

p.s. shelling a cup of pistachios really isn't that bad.  Just get comfy and know the tips of your fingers might feel it a bit after you're done.

The reward though, is epic.  The sassy tang of lemon, the salty crunch of pistachios and the sweet smoothness of the white chocolate harmonize into a glorious song on your taste buds.  Seriously yum.

If you don't know much about biscotti, I'll give you a tiny lesson. In Italian it means twice baked.  K, I am going to break it down for you. Bi=2 and scotti=cooked...ummmmm...yup, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say scotti is cooked, so there's your Italian lesson for the day.  :)

Enough Italian.  To the cookies!

Lemon Pistachio Biscotti
1/3 C. Salted butter, softened
2/3 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
Lemon zest from 2 lemons
1 C. Shelled, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped.
1 C. white chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In large mixer, combine the butter, sugar and baking powder and beat on high until creamed.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Scrape sides as necessary.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour 1 cup at a time.  Do not over-tax your mixer, if it can't take the  workload, mix by hand.  Add the lemon zest and pistachios and mix until just combined.

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet and divide dough into 3 equal piles.  Shape each of these into an 8 inch roll.  Place rolls 3 inches apart and flatten until they are approximately 2.5 inches wide.

Bake for about 20 minutes until they are golden and the tops are just cracked.  Cool for 15 minutes until you can handle them without burning yourself.

Reduce heat to 325 F.

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into 1/2 inch slices and place the cut-side down on the same cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.  Turn over each cookie and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes until dry and crisp.  Let cool completely.

Dip bottom of each biscotti in melted white chocolate and place, chocolate side down, on clean piece of parchment. Drizzle tops of cookies with additional melted chocolate, led solidify and eat to your heart's content.

The best breakfast imaginable, a cup of coffee and a couple biscotti.  Yes, please.

Mom, can I try a biscotti?  I love pistachios.
Sure, give them a try.

Ohhhh, these taste good.
I'm glad you like them.

Can I have another one?
Nope, one's enough, besides, Mommy has to have a couple for breakfast tomorrow.

I hope you make these and enjoy them as much as my family.

Thanks for reading!

Heather