These are addictive, so plan on sharing or freezing some of the little biscotti if you want to limit the number you eat. The cookies are crisp, a little sweet but not overwhelmingly so, and have a slightly nutty, almost savory taste--like the sesame seeds that go into making the tahini. Additional sesame seeds as well as sugar and cinnamon dust the tops of the cookies. Tahini biscotti are great for those with nut allergies--only seeds, no nuts. You can adjust the crispness level by how long you bake the cookies during their second round in the oven. Go for 7 minutes on each side for cookies that are less hard and 10 minutes for the type you really need to dip in something to eat without breaking a tooth. The biscotti make a nice snack (I just ate one!), and they are perfect for dipping in espresso or cappuccino. Or try the biscotti alongside fruit for a lighter and still special dessert. Enjoy!
Tahini Biscotti -- Makes 18+
2 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of tahini
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of white whole-wheat flour (or use all-purpose, if that's what you have)
1 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2-3 tablespoons of sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, canola oil, tahini, and vanilla well. Stir in the flours,baking powder, baking soda, and salt until everything is well combined. Spoon two logs, each 8-10 inches long, on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving a space of about three inches between the logs. The easiest way to form the logs is to plop the dough out onto the cookie sheets, wet your hands with a little water, and then press the dough into log shapes. Press the sesame seeds into the tops of the logs, then combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture on top of the logs. Bake the logs for 30 minutes. Remove the logs from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. With a sharp knife, cut the logs, crosswise, into 1/2-inch slices. Lay the slices flat sides down and bake them for 7-10 minutes. Flip the slices and bake them for another 7-10 minutes. The slices will continue to crisp up as they stand. Let the biscotti cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing them to cool completely.
