Happy Monday everyone! Today I’m so excited to share Sweet Home Vanilla’s Traditional Italian Biscotti con Vaniglia with you. If you followed my Soy Wax Vs. Beeswax post last week, I talked about my collaboration with Amanda Vos, owner of Sweet Home Vanilla talking about candle making, our small businesses, recipes using their homemade vanilla and cleaning tips (more on this later). Today I’m sharing her family recipe and my Berries and Cream Crepes using her vanilla.

Although I’m sharing two recipes (one from Amanda and one from myself), I’m titling this post using her recipe because I love that it has been handed down through generations and is still being used in her family.  I wrote three Sit, Stay, Eat Cookbooks with recipes handed down through my family.  What I wouldn’t give now to be making these recipes with my grandmothers.

This beloved family recipe is graciously shared by Amanda’s mother-in-law, Louise. It was her grandmother’s recipe, past down from generations and about a century old. Typically the recipe called for Anise or Anissetta, but in this case they decided to adapt it to incorporate their very favorite flavor, vanilla.

Can you picture making this recipe as a gift, purchasing a bottle of Sweet Home Vanilla’s vanilla, and printing off this recipe card (below) for your special someone.  Wrap it up in a beautiful box and tie it with a bow.  So personal, so special!  

Traditional Italian Biscotti con Vaniglia

Amanda Vos

Ingredients

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Shortening

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Milk

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Tbs Pure Vanilla Extract

3 Cups Flour

2 Tsp Baking Powder

350 degree, 30 mins

Broiler, 1 min

Step 1: Combine the eggs, shortening, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl for the electric mixer, (you can also use a hand-held mixer.) and blend until well incorporated.

Step 2: In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, and baking powder.

Step 3: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the mixing bowl, on the low setting, making sure to scrape the sides with a spatula as everything combines.

Step 4: Remove dough from bowl and place it on a large cutting board prepared with flour to keep from sticking. With floured hands, form the dough into a mound, then cut in half.

Step 5: Transfer each side to a greased baking sheet and shape into a log about 12 inches in length, making sure to leave room between the two as they will expand while baking. Bake for about 30 minutes depending on your oven.

Step 6: Remove from over once it turns a golden color, you may notice some cracking up the center of each – this is not a problem.

Step 7: Slice Biscotti roughly a 1/2 inch wide on a diagonal. Turn each slice on their side and place back in the oven under the broiler for no longer than a minute. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning.

Once cooled, you may enjoy your authentic homemade Biscotti. I prefer to have mine alongside a fresh brewed cup of coffee. There are also endless options to dress up your Biscotti, especially if preparing this for the holidays or a special occasion or event. Melted chocolate drizzled on top is a delicious way to add your own personal touch. Adding apricots, cherries, hazelnuts, or chocolate chips to the batter, is also a fun option based on your preferences.

I made this Berries and Cream Crepe recipe twice now and both times it turned out delicious.  Mr. TAL’s birthday was March 29th and I made him this crepe recipe for breakfast. If you have been following me for awhile, you will know I sometimes take recipes that I find and make them my own.  But this recipe didn’t need much changing.  I did tweak it a little bit though.  It is absolutely delicious, so easy to make, and Mr. TAL approved!

This recipe is made in three different parts where vanilla is used twice.  It is a perfect recipe to use Sweet Home Vanilla’s vanilla.  When making the berry sauce, I chose to add a tablespoon of lemon juice which gave it a lemony berry flavor.  Make it even more flavorful by adding a teaspoon of vanilla to this part as well!

These crepes ooze with a sweet cream cheese filling and drip with berries and sauce.  The crepes are light and fluffy making this the perfect breakfast or special occasion meal.  The contrast of yellow batter, white cream filling and black berries is the perfect combo for any spring tablescape.  Fill beautiful glasses with orange juice, add a fresh spring floral arrangement to make a happy creative table and breakfast.

I made four large crepes with this recipe.  Crepes can be stacked, rolled, or folded.  I laid them flat, layered the cream cheese filling, used a tablespoon to pour the berries over the cream cheese, and then folded them.  I topped the crepes with more berries and berry juice and served them warm.  

The batter can be made a day ahead of time or set in the refrigerator an hour before making.  I chose to make them, set them in the refrigerator while I made the berries and filling and all worked out perfectly.  Crepes are typically thin but I made mine a little thicker because we like them that way.  

Make sure you pour your batter into a hot cast iron skillet, roll batter to the edges and let cook for approximately a minute.  Flip over and cook for a few more seconds.  The crepes will puff up slightly and that’s when you know to flip your crepe.

More recipes using vanilla:

Super Easy French Toast

French Vanilla, Blackberry, Raspberry Cake

Blackberry Pie