50 | 52 Cardamom Biscotti

Christmas is just around the corner. 

(I know, I know, #takeadeepbreath...)

I have to admit that with sunny days, blue skies, and around 14°C (57°F) outside temperature, I find it very hard to get into the Christmas spirit.

(Not that I'm complaining about this awesome weather! No, I'm really not. But it's not very christmassy for this part of the world.)

So anyway - I mostly blame it on the great weather that I haven't baked any Christmas cookies yet.
So let's start with some Biscotti that are not entirely christmassy. Alright?

 

Cardamom Biscotti

From Martha Stewart

160 g (1 1/4 cups) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

(1 cup) almonds, blanched and ground

1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground

150 g (3/4 cup) sugar

2 eggs, plus 1 egg white for brushing

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).
• Combine flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt in a bowl. Add almonds, cardamom, and the sugar (minus 2 tablespoons). Whisk eggs and vanilla together and add to dry ingredients. Knead together with your hands until well combined.
• Transfer dough onto baking sheet with parchment paper, roll into a log of about 22cm / 9in length. Flatten top a bit and bake for about 30 minutes.
• Whisk egg white a bit, then brush log with it. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for another 15 minutes.
• Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 0.5cm/0.25in thick slices and lay them out flat on the baking sheet. Bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

 

My modifications:

None. (Except for using ground cardamom and not grinding it myself.)

The taste:

Good, like biscotti. Very subtle cardamom flavor (but maybe it will come through more after a couple of days.)

What is your favorite cookie that's not so christmassy?

4*52 Chocolate-Hazelnut-Biscotti

Sometimes you just need something other than cake.
Something to nibble on. Even when you have guests.

Biscotti sound good. Adding chocolate and hazelnut seals the deal. Right?

Chocolate-Hazelnut-Biscotti

Recipe from Cynthia Barcomi found on Chötenechräpfli

280 g flour

50 g hazelnuts, ground

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

150 g sugar

2 eggs

45 g butter, melted and cooled

150 g semi-sweet chocolate

100 g hazelnuts, whole with skin

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Combine flour, ground nuts, baking soda and powder, salt, vanilla and sugar. Whisk together eggs and butter in a small bowl and add to the flour mix. Mix until combined well. Coarsely chop the chocolate and nuts and work quickly (to not melt the chocolate) into the dough.
• Form two logs and bake for 25 minutes. Take out and let cool 20 minutes on the cookie sheet. Using a bread knife, cut diagonally into 1.5 cm thick slices (leave them standing, don't 'lay' them down). Bake at 170°C (340°F) for another 10 minutes. Let cool.

My modifications:

I didn't roast the whole hazelnuts. I'm just not a big fan of roasting nuts (not sure why but partly because of lazyness...) but I never missed it.

In between both baking rounds and before cutting, I only let them cool for 5 minutes. That's probably why they don't look perfect because the chocolate melted. The original recipe says to let them cool for 20 minutes which I thought was too long for leaving the oven on without anything in it... If you can live with chocolate streaks like on my pictures, 5 minutes cooling time is enough.

The taste:

So very good! I predict that they won't last long anywhere...

What's your favorite (baked) nibble-food?

25/52 Cinnamon Biscotti

I have to admit that I was a little lazy this week - at least when it comes to baking.
When I was thinking about what to bake, I just wanted something quick, easy, small.
Something sweet for nibbling on.

So I was thinking COOKIES! Started searching for new cookie recipes on allrecipes.com which brought me to biscotti recipes. So I thought BISCOTTI! And biscotti it is now.

Cinnamon Biscotti

Adapted from allrecipes.com

250 g (2 cups) flour

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

135 g (2/3 cup) sugar

85 g (6 tablespoons) butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten

40 g (3 tablespoons) sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Mix flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

• Beat together butter and 135 g (2/3 cup) sugar until creamy. Add both eggs and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients.

• Divide dough into two parts and roll each part on floured surface into strings of about 23 cm (9 in) length and 4 cm (1 1/2 in) width. Brush with beaten egg.

• Bake in preheated oven at 165°C (325°F) for 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.

• Cut into diagonal slices of about 1 cm (1/2 in). Lay slices with cut surface down, sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mix and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack and store in cookie jar or tin.

My modifications:

Having read the comments below the recipe I decided to use 2 whole eggs instead of 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk to make the biscotti less crumbly.

If you want your biscotti to be a little soft, use the times indicated above. If you prefer them to be rock-hard, extend both baking times by 5 minutes each.

The taste:

Very, very good! I might have to make them every week now... (or twice a week?)
Perfect with espresso or any other coffee, or just by itself.

What is your favorite cookie (or the like)?