Today Boarding Pass turns one!  It’s been a fun first year, and in the coming year my travel itinerary will take me to some new places, which I look forward to writing about.  I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my travel stories, helpful tips that I’ve discovered along the way and some of my favorite travel-related recipes (even more this year!).

To celebrate my blog’s first birthday, my gift to you is my springtime biscotti recipe.  Although very different from the biscotti I make during the holidays, the combination of hazelnuts and citrus make these cookies a delightful treat during warmer weather.

Thanks for reading and for all of your comments over the past year.  Here’s to another year of good travel and good food!

Hazelnut Biscotti
Makes approximately 20 cookies

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups toasted hazelnuts coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the butter and sugar.  Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon zest, juice, vanilla and almond extracts.
4. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour, one third at a time.  Fold in the nuts.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half.  Using your palms, shape half of the dough into a log in the middle of a baking sheet, about 4 inches wide and ¾ inch tall.  Repeat with remaining dough on the other baking sheet.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove baking sheets from oven and reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Transfer the logs onto a cutting board and cut into ¾ inch-wide slices.  Arrange the slices on a baking sheet, cut side down, and return to oven.  Bake until biscotti are lightly toasted and the edges are golden brown, approximately 5 minutes.  Turn the biscotti over and continue to bake on the reverse side for 5 more minutes.
8. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack so that the biscotti can continue to harden as they cool.