Preserving Biscotti HELP!!

[geckodolphin81]

I was hoping someone might be able to help me out with a question. I have perfected (or at least in my opinion) my biscotti recipe and plan to give them away as gifts for the holidays. I would like to start as soon as possible but I am wondering how long they will keep and how best to preserve them. Should they be dipped first and then packaged before delivering them? Any suggestions?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Heather

[thetincook]

Make sure they are dried out thourghly during the second bake. If you are shipping them via mail, you might want to use coating chocolate since it has a higher melt point.

[geckodolphin81]

Thank you... I don't think I will be shipping them, but I want to keep them for a month or so. What should I package them in until I am ready to give them? I thought of using a vacuum sealer or just plain ziploc bags. Is there an ingredient that could be added or substituted to help preserve freshness? The recipe does get very dry during the second bake... I have never had them long enough to test their staying power though.

[Jock]

It might be interesting to note that biscotti were developed in Italy for long sea voyages because of their superior keeping qualities. As thetincook says, make sure they are properly dried in the second baking.

Jock

[nowIamone]

If you are icing them, don't do it right away as the icing will look a little dull, and not as attractive. After they cool, package and freeze them.
Take out of the wrapping to thaw and then dip in the icings shortly before you want distribute them.

I prefer my un-iced biscot's a week or more old. We used to laugh that the old aunt's had Christmas biscot's and then summer biscot's. Meaning they baked them for the holiday's and then for the first wedding of the summer season.