We used this recipe for the Jenga blocks. Adapted from “Good Housekeeping Best-Loved Desserts,” makes about 52 biscotti.
Ingredients
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine (1 1/2 sticks), cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
3/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350.
In large bowl, with wire whisk, mix flour, baking powder, ground ginger and salt.
In microwave-safe large bowl, heat butter in microwave oven on high until butter has melted, about 1 minute. With wire whisk, stir in sugar and eggs until smooth. With spoon, stir flour mixture, candied ginger, and cherries into egg mixture until dough forms.
Divide dough in half. On ungreased large cookie sheet, with floured hands, shape 1 piece of dough into 14-by-4-inch log (about 1/4 inch high). Repeat with remaining dough on second cookie sheet. Bake until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Cool on cookie sheets on wire racks 20 minutes. Reset oven to 325.
Transfer 1 log to cutting board. With serrated knife, cut log crosswise on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on same cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining log. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden on bottom, turning slices over once and rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Transfer biscotti to wire racks to cool completely.
Note from Tucker: To create rectangular biscotti, trim off rounded edges when slicing into bricks, before second baking.
