Here's my tried and true marriage material biscotti. Everyone loves it, I love it, it's the best. Feel free to get creative with it and tweak it. These are made to be enjoyed for breakfast dipped in esperesso, but you can eat them as a snack or without espresso. They are very crunchy, and everyone I've made them for really enjoys them. They also make fantastic Christmas gifts for a low budget.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup of whatever nut or filling you'd like (chocolate chips, almonds, pistachios, etc

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (you can also use soda, but id recommend powder)

1/2 melted butter

1 cap full of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F degrees or 300F degrees for a toaster oven

2. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract into a medium bowl. Mix it together with a fork or whisk.

3. Add butter and vanilla then mix further

4. Add flour and baking powder to the same bowl, then add your filling of choice. Mix until a dough forms

6. Put the pan into the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, turning the pan halfway through cooking. Make sure that your logs are slightly brown when finished.

7. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for approximately 15 minutes before cutting your logs into about 1/2 inch thick individual biscotti pieces. Do not do this until your logs have become completely cool. If you cut one off and steam comes out, wait a few minutes and try again.

8. Cook your biscotti again at a heat 25 degrees lower than when you first put them into the oven for 15 minutes or until each biscotti becomes crispy and hard

9. Let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They will stay good for a very long time, but I'm sure you will eat them by the time they go bad.

Tweaks:

Here are a few ways that I tweak the recipe depending on my chosen filling.

Pistachios or Almonds:

• Add a small amount of almond extract
• Add a small amount of pistachio cream

Chocolate Chips:

• These can benefit from a tiny amount of cocoa powder added during the second step with the sugar and eggs. It makes them slightly brown and gives them a more bitter flavor with a hint of dark chocolate which coinsides perfectly with the chocolate chips you've added.
• I like to dip these ones in milk and lattes, but be very careful that your family doesn't eat them five minutes after they're done because theyre like cocaine.

A few fillings I've tried and really enjoy:

• Coconut Flakes
• Pecans
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Chocolate Chips