Biscotti are traditional Tuscan sweet biscuits, descended from the far more bland twice-baked biscuits that fuelled sailors since ancient times. We usually baked three loaves at a time aboard Sequitur to make the most of the heated oven, so the accompanying pictures are of three different biscotti. Our variations ranged through combinations of almonds with hazelnuts, pecans, chocolate chips and chopped dried fruit in either plain or chocolate.

Ingredients (for each loaf of about two dozen biscotti)
500 ml all-purpose flour.
250 ml granulated sugar.
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt.
3 large eggs.
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
(Optional: 125 ml cacao powder to replace the same amount of flour.)
250g whole almonds with or without other nuts/fruit.
Finely grated zest of half an orange.

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with foil or baking parchment.

Add the flour, sugar and baking powder to a large bowl and mix together. Add the almonds and any other nuts or fruit, along with the orange zest, and mix again. Form a well in the middle and pour in the beaten eggs. Stir with a spoon until the mixture starts clumping together. Bring all the ingredients together with your hands, kneading gently to mop up all the dry ingredients and make a soft dough. If too sticky, add flour as required.

Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet, then gently roll and shape it into a flat log about 10cm wide and 4 to 5cm high. If you're making more than one batch, repeat with the others. 

Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and feels firm when lightly pressed. Remove to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C. Transfer the warm logs to a breadboard and, with a large serrated knife, cut it into 1cm-thick slices.

Lay each slice on the baking sheet. Return the biscuits to the oven and bake for a further 20–25 minutes, turning over halfway through, until golden and crisp.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. These store well for weeks in air-tight containers like Lock & Lock.

Enjoying:
They go well with coffee, and a tradition is to dip them.

They are also a classic accompaniment to Tuscan Vin Santo.

We also found them wonderful complements to Peruvian Pisco and chocolate.