Lemon-Ginger Biscotti

Lemon-Ginger Biscotti (from Cooking Light)

Seal these crunchy cookies in a tin, and give them with your recipient's favorite coffee, tea, or bottle of port. Or pile some biscotti in a jumbo latte cup with the recipe tied to the handle.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

2 tablespoons grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 large eggs

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon water

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in crystallized ginger. Combine rind, juice, and whole eggs; add to flour mixture, stirring until well blended (dough will be crumbly). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 7 or 8 times. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a 9-inch-long roll. Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten each roll to a 1-inch thickness. Combine water and egg white, and brush over rolls. Sprinkle rolls evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 15 (3/4-inch) slices. Carefully stand slices upright on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325 bake 20 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in the center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen (serving size: 1 biscotto)