Galasso Italian Biscotti

1/4 cup butter (softened)
2 1/4 cups of All purpose flour (add more as needed to form dough, keep sticky until on floured surface)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 TSP salt
2 TSP Anise Seeds (Grandma used 1 1/2 TSP)
1/2 TSP Fennel Seeds
1/2 cup whole almonds roasted at 350 for 5 min then chop coarsely big chunks)
1/2 cup hazelnuts (pre-chopped coarsely)
(Grandma's recipe called for 1 cup total nuts, I added 1/2 cup more overall)
1 TSP baking powder
1/2 TSP baking soda
3 eggs (plus one more for egg wash)
1/2 TSP Pure Vanilla extract
1/4 TSP Pure Almond extract

The instructions I have from our family recipe were very vague. You know how are our Grandma G was, no need to measure if you do it all the time. So because I have made my own biscotti recipe so many times I thought it would be helpful to you all to provide many details of the process. It's really not that hard, just takes a while because they are "twice baked" AKA "Biscotti" :) Enjoy. Mangia Mangia!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast whole almonds for about 5 minutes, (watch so they don't burn) remove and coarsely chop (big chunks) Meanwhile, beat softened butter in mixer for 30 sec until whipped. Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat until combined. Continue beating and add eggs and extracts until mixture looks shimmery. Slowly add in flour beating it adding more, beating adding more, until beaters start to slow. (if using a Kitchen-aid stand up mixer, it can beat it all till the end, including nuts, if by hand knead on a floured counter surface adding more flour as needed.) Add any remaining flour and nuts and knead dough until mixed together. By now, dough should be feeling solid, but still soft. You can now either divide dough into two pieces or leave as one large one (longer biscotti vs shorter smaller) You will want to knead your dough until it's in the shape of a log. Then flatten and shape dough to about 3/4" high. Place log(s) onto a parchment covered cookie sheet. Brush with egg wash (I added some roasted almond chips to top, pushing them into the top after egg wash.) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. Remove let cool from oven about 10 min. Carefully place log(s) on a cutting board. (I use a spatula on one side to help to lift to prevent breaking) After about 10 minutes from being removed from oven, (placed on the cutting board) You should start to carefully start to cut your log(s) You will have to use a very sharp serrated knife and carefully saw at your log on a diagonal angle creating 1/2" slices. If the pieces are long (one log vs divided log) you need to support the other end of each piece) I use my knife or spatula laid flat on that other end to help support each long piece while transferring back to the cookie sheet where you will then rebake them. You will now lay them cut side up back onto the cookie sheet and line them up. Lower your oven to 325 and bake 10 minutes each side (flip them after ten minutes then bake 10 minutes on the other side.) (Grandma's recipe was 350 degrees 5 min each side.) When done rebaking both sides, remove and let cool on a cooling rack until cool then store in a cookie tin or cookie box. They last for many weeks. PS: You can also decorate with drizzled or dipped melted chocolate if you like. For this recipe, most prefer it plain.

Serving Size: Makes about 17 to 19 biscotti's if left as one log or smaller and more biscotti's if divided in half.