After last week’s 'Mom’s cooking' debacle-which extending beyond the confines of this website dear readers- I used this weekend as an opportunity to kill two birds with one pot. Going back to my Master List (the project formerly known as The Great Kitchen Challenge and formaly known as Around the World in 80 Plates), I have listed biscotti as another item I have never made myself. That is bird number one. Bird number two comes in the shape of a recipe my mother sent me last week for her biscotti. That’s one thing to tick for me and my mother now feels vindicated in the eyes of the world (or rather mine, hers and the three other people that I think actually choose to read this out of their own free will).
I didn’t have the exact ingredients that she called for in her recipe and had to tweak it slightly thereby creating a new flavour. I was feeling very generous when I made this on Friday and took a batch into The Boy’s office for afternoon tea. Needless to say, there were not any leftovers.
I have to agree with Anonymous who posted a note to say that making biscotti was easy (and I agree with you too mother). From start to finish I don’t think I spent more than an hour making these tasty morsels. The recipe can easily be doubled to add to gifts at Christmas or you can do as I did and double the number of biscotti by making them into mini pieces. Where the original recipe called for dried cranberries, I had to substitute have dried cherries and chopped cashews. It created a subtle twist on the usual flavours you get in the shops; in one bite you get the tart of the cherry and in the next the nuttiness of the cashew. This is definitely a recipe that allows you to get creative and develop your own signature flavour so long as you keep the mix-in amount to 1 ½ cups (12 oz.). The next time I make this I plan to try dried mango and chopped macadamia nut for a slightly more exotic taste.
CHERRY AND CASHEW BISCOTTI
Makes about two dozen
Ingredients:
2 ½ c. plain flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 ½ c. Sugar
½ c. Butter- softened
2 Eggs
½ tsp. Almond Extract
1 c. Dried Cherries- roughly chopped
½ c. Cashews- roughly chopped
1 egg white
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium size bowl. Cream the butter, eggs, sugar and almond extract in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and cherry cashew mix in alternating batches until it is all evenly worked into the dough. Cut the dough mixture in half.
Using floured hands, shape each piece into a log directly on the baking sheet allowing two to three inches between the logs baking in two batches if necessary. Flatten the top of the log slightly by hand. Whisk the egg white and brush the top and sides of each log.
Bake 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Slice each log into ½ inch slices. Bake the slices for 10 minutes then turn the slices over and bake an additional 5 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
I didn’t have the exact ingredients that she called for in her recipe and had to tweak it slightly thereby creating a new flavour. I was feeling very generous when I made this on Friday and took a batch into The Boy’s office for afternoon tea. Needless to say, there were not any leftovers.
I have to agree with Anonymous who posted a note to say that making biscotti was easy (and I agree with you too mother). From start to finish I don’t think I spent more than an hour making these tasty morsels. The recipe can easily be doubled to add to gifts at Christmas or you can do as I did and double the number of biscotti by making them into mini pieces. Where the original recipe called for dried cranberries, I had to substitute have dried cherries and chopped cashews. It created a subtle twist on the usual flavours you get in the shops; in one bite you get the tart of the cherry and in the next the nuttiness of the cashew. This is definitely a recipe that allows you to get creative and develop your own signature flavour so long as you keep the mix-in amount to 1 ½ cups (12 oz.). The next time I make this I plan to try dried mango and chopped macadamia nut for a slightly more exotic taste.
CHERRY AND CASHEW BISCOTTI
Makes about two dozen
Ingredients:
2 ½ c. plain flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 ½ c. Sugar
½ c. Butter- softened
2 Eggs
½ tsp. Almond Extract
1 c. Dried Cherries- roughly chopped
½ c. Cashews- roughly chopped
1 egg white
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium size bowl. Cream the butter, eggs, sugar and almond extract in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and cherry cashew mix in alternating batches until it is all evenly worked into the dough. Cut the dough mixture in half.
Using floured hands, shape each piece into a log directly on the baking sheet allowing two to three inches between the logs baking in two batches if necessary. Flatten the top of the log slightly by hand. Whisk the egg white and brush the top and sides of each log.
Bake 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Slice each log into ½ inch slices. Bake the slices for 10 minutes then turn the slices over and bake an additional 5 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
2 comments:
The cherries sound good, and it gives me an idea. At Orchards they have lots of bins of nuts and dried fruit including mango. I will go in and see what combos they have to change the biscotti flavor with. I like the idea of mango and macadamia, will try for Thanksgiving.
Please tell "mom" to make some of these tasty morsels for her friends at work.....specifically Barbara. I enjoy your blog, Xochitl. I will make my own version of your biscotti this weekend and let you know how it turns out.
Post a Comment