Biscotti was on my list of foods to try for quite some time! It took a friend giving me a birthday gift of biscotti in a variety of flavors to prompt me to actually learn to make it, which then prompted me to create this “How to Make Biscotti” interactive for both virtual and in class students! It also makes a great holiday treat to serve or gift to friends and family!

Setting

• Begin by choosing the version you intend to use for your students. If you are like me and teach both in class and hybrid students, you may need both!
• You may also wish to limit the recipe options within the interactive based on your school and resources.

Directions

• Students first explore some background information about biscotti including what they are, where they originated and why they are baked more than once.
• Next, students watch a video titled, “How to Make Biscotti” and answer some basic prep questions around the process.
• This interactive also provides an opportunity to introduce or review the function of basic ingredients, utilizing the web resource “The Science Behind Common Baking Ingredients“. If you want to expand on this part of the assignment or you want a more creative approach, you could assign students the “Magnificent 7 Sketchnotes” instead.
• Now it’s time for students to select their recipe. If students are preparing biscotti at home, they can choose from my list, a family favorite or explore other recipes because they have more time. For in class students, I give them several options to choose from. Each group can select the version they would like to make. Because my classes are only 43 minutes long, I do need to spread this lab out over two days.
• Once students have finished preparing their biscotti, I ask them to take a photo of it. If they are making this at home, I request they be in the photo with their finished product. If students are at school, they don’t need to be in the photo because I’ve observed their preparation.
• After the lab, students reflect on their experience and final product.
• If you are in a pinch for time personally or at school and want to make a semi-homemade version of biscotti, I encourage you to try the “Blueberry Lemon Biscotti” which uses both Jiffy Blueberry Muffin mixes and lemon pudding. They are quite yummy!

Attachments

• How to Make Biscotti_School Version (please make a copy)
• How to Make Biscotti_Home Version (please make a copy)

Photo by Jonathan Pielmayer on Unsplash