Crumbly Biscotti — Nick Malgieri (2024)

FAQs

Why are my biscotti so crumbly? ›

A: Overbaking the logs of dough during the first baking can make the slices crumble as you are cutting them. Also, even if the logs of dough are perfectly baked, they will crumble if they are sliced while still warm, so be patient. The logs crumble when you use a dull knife, too.

For crumble-free cutting, spray baked biscotti logs with water. Once your biscotti logs are baked it's time to slice them — hopefully without crumbling! I like to mist the logs with water and wait 5 minutes, then cut.

The word biscotti is derived from the Latin biscoctus, meaning twice baked or cooked: The dough is formed into logs, baked, cooled and baked again. Whereas Italians use the word "biscotti" to refer to various cookies, Americans use the term to refer to the singular long, crisp, twice-baked Italian cookie.

The trickiest parts of making them are the mixing and the shaping and baking. Just like biscuits, you can't overmix the dough. I found that if the dough is mixed too much, the biscotti becomes dense and heavy.

Or add water, let it soak in, then add an egg or two to the soft crumbs before baking again. I decided to bake for the first time in quite a while, and decided to try my hand at biscotti.

Because the dough can be sticky and hard to form, it's important to chill the batter for a good 30 minutes before baking the first time. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper then dust it with a little flour. Transfer the batter to the baking sheet and chill in the fridge.

While some recipes use oil, I like to use butter for a better flavor and texture. Use unsalted, softened (not melty!) butter. Sugar. Since they are cookies, biscotti should be sweet!

If your biscuits are falling apart…

If this sounds familiar, you could be adding too much flour to your dough without knowing it, disrupting the ratio of dry to wet ingredients.

Most baked goods need a leavening agent to make them rise, and if you leave it out, your cake or your cookies will fall flat. Baking powder makes dough rise because it contains both a base and an acid in dried form.

Are biscotti healthier than cookies? ›

Unlike many traditional cookies, biscotti are often lower in fat and sugar. Add some heart healthy nuts and you have a satisfying and relatively light treat! This delicious cookie can easily be made vegan & vegetarian friendly.

After the first bake, the biscotti loaves should be firm and very lightly browned, but not hard. Loaves are ready to cut when you can touch them without burning yourself.

Baking soda – baking soda helps the biscotti rise and spread. Make sure that your baking soda isn't expired. Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.

If your biscotti are too soft then it is likely that the cookies were not baked for long enough second time around.