The snow is forcing me to stay indoors and be domestic. Thoroughly outfitted… pearl necklace, red lipstick, a frilly apron and duster in hand-I am a Stepford down to my congenial head tilt. No no, not really but it certainly feels that way at times when I bake. Disoriented and a bit out of my head…the urge to set fire to the curtains and climb aboard a Greyhound is borderline irrepressible. Crazy? yes. Alas, it does not keep me from baking…instead I kind of relish the domesticity for a minute before lighting up a cigarette and taking a healthy swig of gin. It’s all about balance folks. With the weather being so shitty and the oven being so warm, clearly biscotti baking was bound to occur.

Last time- Chocolate Hazelnut..this time- Almond Anise. Both indebted to Ms. Moskowitz and the all too wonderful Veganomicon. Of course, another effortless recipe…I feel like baking biscotti is easier than making cookies, right? The Almond Anise are my favorite of the two varieties. They are more basic with a subtle kick of flavor…not as rich or dessert like as the Chocolate Hazelnut. The anise in them is pleasant…not overwhelming. It’s a fantastic breakfast cookie…perfect dipped in a hot cup of black coffee or a soy latte. Bake it, eat it, then get the hell out of the kitchen and go do something interesting. Ingredients

1/3 cup soymilk or almond milk 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp almond extract 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour 2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp anise seed 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup whole, raw almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
2. In large bowl, whisk the soy milk and flaxseed together. Add the sugar, oil and extracts. Mix until smooth. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, anise seeds and salt. Mix well and just as it begins to come together add the almonds. Knead the almonds in (the dough should be pretty firm at this point).
3. Place the dough on the cookie sheet and form it into a rectangle (12 inches long and 3 to 4 inches wide). Bake it for 28 minutes then remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
4. Turn up the oven heat to 375. With a heavy, sharp knife (you can do this on a cutting board or on the cookie sheet) use a single motion to push down and cut it into 1/2 inch thick slices (don’t saw at it…don’t use a serrated knife- it will crumble). Be delicate. Set the slices on their cut sides on the cookie sheet and put them back in the oven. Bake for 13 minutes or until your desired brownness/crispness. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.