You can buy Biscotti everywhere: grocery chains, discount stores, and neighborhood shops. Unfortunately, you don't get many Biscotti for your money. Of course, baking your own Biscotti is the solution. Biscotti are easy to make and, once you've mastered Biscotti 101, you can invent your own recipes.

Here are some Biscotti basics.

1. There are so few ingredients in Biscotti that you have to be careful about swapping ingredeients. After baking thousands of Biscotti I swap one ingredient only. And though I often swap Splenda for sugar, this swap doesn't work with Biscotti.

2. Measure flour by spooning it into a metal cup and leveling it with a knife. Don't scoop the flour from a package or canister.

3. You'll have better results if your eggs are at room temperature. I take eggs out of the refrigerator one hour before I start baking.

4. If you dough is too stiff add a few drops of egg substitute, water, or citrus juice. Add this liquid in small increments.

5. Use pure extract to flavor your Biscotti, not imitation. Frost cooled Biscotti with melted chocolate chips, melted white chips, or melted almond bark for even more flavor.

The house smells so wonderful when you bake Bicotti that kids will want to help. Older kids can measure ingredients and slice the Biscotti. Preschoolers can whisk dry ingredients together and roll dough into logs. Homemade Biscotti is the perfect companion to a cup of coffee and such a welcome gift your friends will ask for more.

I pack gift Biscotti in wide-mouth Mason jars or Chinese takout cartons (the kind with the wire handle). To make the gifts extra festive I tie fabric bows on my gifts and stick a pine cone or other ornament in the center of the bows. These recipes for Cappuccino Biscotti and Lemon Biscotti With Sliced Almonds will make every day a holiday.

CAPPUCCINO BISCOTTI

2 1/4 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons instant coffee, 3/4 cup cappuccino chips, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup egg substitute

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients with a whisk. Add cappuccino chips and whisk a bit more. In a small bowl beat eggs and egg subsisute with a fork. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing with wooden spoon until dough is moist.

Coat a jelly roll pan with baking spray and set near a floured cutting board.

Turn dough onto board. Roll into a large log. Cut this log in two. Roll each half into a 14" narrow log. Place logs on jelly roll and flatten slightly. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove Biscotti from oven and cool on rack for five minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Cut Biscotti into 1/2" slices with serrated knife. Stand slices on jelly roll pan and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove Biscotti from pan and cool completely before storing. Yield: About 30 Biscotti.

LEMON BISCOTTI WITH SLICED ALMONDS

1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, 2 teaspoons lemon extract, juice of 1 lemon

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients with a whisk. Add sliced almonds and whisk a bit more. In a small bowl beat eggs, lemon zest, and lemon extract (but not juice) with a fork. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing with wooden spoon as you slowly add the lemon juice. (You may not need all of it.)

Coat a jelly roll pan with baking spray and set near floured cutting board.

Turn dough onto board. Roll into a large log. Cut this log in two. Roll each half into a 14" narrow log. Place logs on jelly roll pan and flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let Biscotti cool on wire rack for five minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees. Cut Biscotti into 1/2" slices with serrated knife. Stand slices on jelly roll pan and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove Biscotti from pan and cool completely before storing. Yield: About 30 Biscotti.

Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. To learn more about her work please go to www.harriehodgson.com.