Biscotti Frenzy

I just don’t seem to know how to do anything small (except knitting baby hats and dog sweaters). When I latch on to something I do it big, or do it multiple times, or go way overboard in the quantity department. When it comes to food, this rarely gets any complaints from my family, friends, and the butchers where my son works. Everyone benefits. (Except my hips, of course.)

This weekend was no exception. I’m heading down to La Quinta/Palm Springs soon for my godmother’s 70th birthday celebration. She is not allowing gifts, but I have a few non-gift surprises up my sleeve, one of which is an assortment of cookies. For three days, family and friends will be passing through the house, for cocktails, dinner, breakfast, lunch. So I thought I would make cookies for the masses. Something to nosh on after that round of golf or stroll through the street fair. She has a cupboard full of beautiful trays and platters, and with a bowl of fruit, will make a good treat either morning, noon, or late night.

I started off with biscotti, as my godmother is half Italian. But I didn’t want to do the run-of-the-mill types like I usually do: the standard almond, chocolate almond, or lemon pistachio. So I dug out an old cookbook I have, aptly titled Biscotti, by Lou Seibert Pappas, and flipped through until I found what I wanted.

My first choice was Almond Crunch Biscotti. The description mentions caramelized almonds, meaning I would keep the traditional almond in the cookie, but add a bit of crunchy sweetness, which many biscotti lack. It only took a few minutes to caramelize the almonds, and it was all I could not to eat the brittle as I chopped it up. (HINT: Double the batch of caramelized almonds, so you have some to snack on as you bake for hours.)

The dough is simple and straightforward, with the only change being I made four small loaves, rather than two larger loaves. I wanted the cookies to be smaller, closer to 3 bites than a full-sized finger of crunch. These turned out to be Brilliant Daughter’s favorite. She ate them as they came out of the first bake, and the second bake, and kept on eating them all they way home (she got her own bag of cookies). They are good, and paired well with the Peet’s Anniversary Blend I was sipping, both as accompaniment and dunking medium.

NOTE: I did have some concerns about how the caramelizing was done. Melting the butter and sugar together results in a bubbly concoction, not a smooth syrup. It did its job, after I patiently waited, but I did try an alternative version for the second batch I made (well, Brilliant Daughter did loooooove them). I caramelized the sugar first, then added in a bit less butter (as the finished product sat on quite a bit of oily residue). Then I added in the almonds. The result—tastewise—is pretty much the same, so either method will work.


Almond Crunch Biscotti

Caramelized Almond Slices
2 T butter
3 T sugar
3/4 c. sliced blanched almonds

Dough
1/2 c butter
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt

To make the caramelized almonds, melt butter and sugar in a skillet. When it bubbles and starts to turn golden, add the almonds and continue cooking, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the nuts are golden and caramelized. Turn out on to a baking sheet in thin layer and let cool. Break or cut into smaller pieces.

To make dough, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture, mixing just until blended. Stir in the almonds.

Divide dough in half, on a greased and floured baking sheet, pat out two logs about 1/2 inch high, 1 1/2 inches wide and 14 inches long. Make sure they are spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the middle of 325 oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to baking sheet to cool for 5 minutes. Place on cutting board, and with serrated knife slice diagonally into 3/8-inch thick slices. Lay slices on the sheet standing up, and bake for 10 minutes.



Next, I made the Espresso Biscotti. I love coffee, so this was a natural fit for my tastes. They are also a great companion to a latte or cappuccino, should you so indulge. The coffee flavor is evident but not overwhelming, and in addition to the toasted almonds already in the recipe, I added mini chocolate chips, just for the extra dimension and sweetness. I tasted the raw dough, which was the wrong thing to do. I wanted to take a spoon and eat it all that way. But I soldiered on, and sent the batch to the oven for the first bake. But this is where I departed a bit from the traditional baking technique. Biscotti is twice-baked. That is what gives it the crunch and dryness, making it the perfect dipper in coffee or tea. But I took half the first bake and sliced it and they were so good, I chose not to do the second bake. So I have half soft and half crispy. Both are delicious. If you don’t like the crispier, harder biscotti, this is the recipe for you—single baked are great.

Espresso Biscotti
2/3 cup blanched slivered almonds
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
3 tablespoons coffee beans (or 2 T finely ground coffee)
2 tablespoons Kahlua or double-strength coffee
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place nuts in a shallow pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 7-8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden brown. Let cool.

Grind coffee bans into a fine powder and place in a small bowl with Kahlua. Heat in 350 degree oven or microwave for 15 seconds, to steep. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar and light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and ground coffee/liqueur mixture. In separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, mixing until just blended. Fold in the nuts and mini chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half, on a greased and floured baking sheet, pat out two logs about 1/2 inch high, 1 1/2 inches wide and 14 inches long. Make sure they are spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the middle of 325 oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to baking sheet to cool for 5 minutes. Place on cutting board, and with serrated knife slice diagonally into 3/8-inch thick slices. Lay slices on the sheet standing up, and bake for 10 minutes.

Both recipes make about 3 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on size and thickness. Needless to say that means about 12 dozen cookies to share between the party, my house, my daughter’s stomach and the butchers…. But wait…there’s more. I also made chocolate-chip pecan cookies and cardamom palmiers. Again, a bit overboard but they will not go to waste.