These Biscotti di Ricotta are moist and delicious cookies from my youth.   The method of ingredient addition is of pinnacle importance in this recipe; one combines the sugar and egg first,  followed by the butter.  If the method is not followed, the cookies will fail.  Another unique aspect of this recipe is that the leavening is added seperately from the sifted flour.  Biscotti di Ricotta have no extract and rely solely on the flavor of the ricotta.  I implore you to purchase a good tasting and good quality smooth ricotta, otherwise they will lack flavor.

Yields approximately 3 Dozen

1  cup Ricotta (8 ounces), drained of excess liquid from container

½  cup Butter, room temperature

2   whole Eggs

1  cup Sugar

1 ½  teaspoons gluten freeBaking Powder

½  teaspoon gluten free Baking Soda

½  teaspoon gluten free Guar Gum

½  cup gluten free Sorghum flour

2/3  cup + 3 tablespoons gluten free Brown Rice Flour

2/3  cup + 3 tablespoons gluten free Potato Starch

½  teaspoon salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together the sorghum, brown rice flour, potato starch and the salt in a small bowl and place aside.

Beat the sugar and eggs together.  Add the butter one tablespoon at a time, continue to mix.

Add the baking powder, baking soda and guar gum;  thoroughly combine.

Add the ricotta, ¼ cup at a time.  Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl between additions.

Retrieve bowl of sifted flour, add the flour in two batches, mix thoroughly and scrape down sides of bowl after each addition.

Using a tablespoon, place dollops of batter on clean cookie sheet.  The dollops should be about 1 inch in diameter and approximately 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake 14 minutes.

Remove cookies to wire racks, allow to cool thoroughly and completely.

Simple White Icing for Biscotti:  This is the icing used on countless cookies from Southern Italy & Sicily.  Extra flavor is used for some cookies and this icing can also be host to a few drops of extract or liquor.  Ricotta cookies are delicious for their simplicity.  The icing used is a reflection of the simplicity of married flavors.  The real role of the icing in this recipe is to seal in the cookie’s moisture.

Icing:

2 2/3 cups Confectioner’s Sugar

7  tablespoons Milk

To avoid excess crumbs and to keep the icing fresh while I work,  I recommend making 4 separate batches.   The goal is to limit the amount of crumbs in the icing, smaller batches is one way of accomplishing this.  I prefer a thicker icing, so I use 5 teaspoons of milk to 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar.  If you prefer a thinner icing, more like a translucent glaze, then you will whisk in anywhere between ½ teaspoon – 1 ½ teaspoons of additional milk.  Be sure to whisk in the additional milk ½ teaspoon at a time and whisk it smooth, lumps can be so unbecoming on a delicious biscotti.

In a small bowl that you can manage with one hand, vigorously whisk together 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar and 3 teaspoons of milk.  Then add an additional 2 teaspoons of milk and frantically whisk again, being sure to create a smooth icing.  If the icing is too thin it will run loose and dry very clear.

Icing the cookies is not difficult, but it does require patience.  I get into a Zen Kitchen moment and just keep moving, quiet the thinking brain and just become flow.

Create your Dipping Workstation:  Place wax paper on counter, place empty cooling racks on top of wax paper.  Place already cooled racks of cookies near you.

To Dip the Cookies:  Using a quick motion, gently dip the top of the cookie in the icing bowl, using a circular motion with your wrist so the entire top surface of the cookie is covered.

Icing the cookies is not difficult, but it does require patience.  I get into a Zen Kitchen moment and just keep moving, quiet the thinking brain and just become flow.

Create your Dipping Workstation:  Place wax paper on counter, place empty cooling racks on top of wax paper.  Place already cooled racks of cookies near you.

To Dip & Coat the Cookies:   Tap off excess cookie crumbs at start, do this away from icing bowl.  With icing bowl in one hand and a face down cookie in the other, methodically swoop (gently dunk) cookie into icing from left to right.  Hold cookie up slightly, so extra can run back into bowl.  Then place cookie on rack above wax paper.   Try to avoid double dipping, it usually gets crumbs in the icing.  When your icing batch is done, if there are crumbs in the bowl, use a paper towel to remove excess crumb icing, and begin another batch.

Return cookie top side up, to a cookie rack on wax paper to dry.

Ricotta Cookies need to sit for many hours to thoroughly dry before placing in a bakery box with loose wax paper for storage.  If these are stored in a sealed glass or plastic container, they will moisten up and expire.

Look for other Delicious Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free Desserts:

Choclate Salami

Cream Puffs

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