Cinnamon Pecan Biscotti

These popular Italian cookies are actually baked twice! The second baking makes them crisp and crunchy. Packaged in pretty tins, they're perfect for gift-giving.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (125 mL) pecans, chopped and toasted
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons (90 mL) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup (175 mL) sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla
2 teaspoons (10 mL) sugar for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop pecans using Food Chopper. Place in Large Bar Pan. Bake 6-7 minutes or until lightly toasted; remove from pan and cool. In Small Batter Bowl, combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon; set aside. In Classic Batter Bowl, beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in pecans. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a 7 x 2-inch log. Lightly spray Bar Pan with vegetable oil. Place each log crosswise in pan about 4 inches apart. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake 30 minutes. Remove pan to Stackable Cooling Rack; let logs cool in pan 15 minutes. Carefully remove logs to Large Grooved Cutting Board using Large Serving Spatula. With Bread Knife, gently cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices upright in pan, about 1 inch apart. Bake 20-25 minutes or until dry and crisp. Cool completely on cooling rack. Store in tightly covered container.