Quaresimali Honey Almond Biscotti

This variety has quite a different flavor profile and texture than our regular almond or pecan biscotti. The combination of the honey with the spices and citrus yields a more substantial texture and very complex flavor – warming and wonderful!

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The first step is to make some candied orange peels. Of course you could buy them, but they are easy to make, so why not?

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QUARESIMALI HONEY ALMOND BISCOTTI
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 lb (1 1/2 cups) toasted almonds, roughly chopped
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup candied orange peals, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon (1/2 orange) orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon (1/2 lemon) lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 egg for glaze
CANDIED ORANGE PEELS
  • 2 to 3 oranges
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

 

Using a potato peeler, peal the rind from 2 or 3 oranges. Place the orange peels in a small pot with 2 or 3 cups of water and bring to a boil for a few minutes.  Dump out the water and repeat. Bring it to a boil for a second time and dump out the water. Now measure 1 1/2 cups of water with 2 cups of sugar and boil slowly with the orange peels for 30 to 60 minutes. Ideally, record the temperature using a candy thermometer and stop when the temperature hits about 230F.  Then, place the orange slices on a piece of parchment paper, dusted with a light layer of granulated sugar. Sprinkle some additional sugar on top and let air dry for a few hours.

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While the orange peels are cooking, you can toast the almonds. Place the almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 350F oven for abut 10 to 15 minutes. Watch them carefully during the last few minutes as they can burn. (I can usually tell when the are done when they start to produce that wonderful almond smell.) After they have cooled, roughly chop the almonds, leaving sizable chunks.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and almonds. Whisk together until fully blended.

In a separate medium bowl, mix the eggs and honey. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Mix at first with a fork and then with your hands. Add the chopped orange peels, orange zest, and lemon zest and continue mixing.  It should be firm but remain easy to handle.

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Divide the dough in half and form two logs about 14″ x 4″ x 1/2″ in size on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Brush the logs lightly with an egg wash (1 egg white + 1 tablespoon of water, beat well) and pop in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350F until the biscotti becomes a light golden brown hue.

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Cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes. Then slice at a diagonal angle using a sharp serrated knife into 1″ wide slices. (Some people like thinner slices, but  for me, I think a nice piece of biscotti should be something to remember. You only live once – enjoy!) Now place the cut biscotti back on the cookie sheet and bake at 350F for about 7 to 10 minutes on one side. Then flip each piece and return to the oven and bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Bake for less time if you like them softer and for longer if you like them crispier.

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Candied Pecan Biscotti

Baking is for experimenting and expressing, for sharing and enjoying. Baking generates delight and satisfaction, happiness and connection. That’s why I love to bake.

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I’m usually inspired by a recipe, a craving, or an occasion. Sometimes I wish to cheer up a friend, show appreciation to a colleague, or attempt to combat my own stress.

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There were a few stipulations though, as this baked good needed to survive the journey across Pennsylvania and then pass TSA inspection on its way to California. It also needed to include pecans. But with a little inspiration from one of my favorite food blogs, and my dad’s tried and true biscotti recipe base, these scrumptious cookies were born.

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I’m pleased to report that the biscotti survived the trip unscathed… but didn’t last very long after arriving on the west coast. They were enjoyed with espresso and lattes, savored in the morning and munched on in the afternoon. I even made a second batch to replace the dwindling supply.

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Baking really is all about cherishing and making memories.

 

Candied Pecans

inspiration from Joy the Baker

Warning: The candied pecans are perfect on their own and truly sing as the lead player in these biscotti. You actually might want to make more nuts.. once these little guys come out of the oven, they are insanely irresistible. Plus, you have to perform some quality control tests before you add them to the biscotti dough, right?

  • 2 cups pecans, halves and pieces
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 300F. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Add the sugars, spices, salt. Whisk everything together until it becomes thick and opaque. Add the pecans and toss to thoroughly coat. Spoon pecans onto prepared baking sheet, spreading them out as much as possible.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the nuts are golden brown and fragrant. After removing from the oven and allowing them to cool slightly, break the nuts apart.

Candied Pecan Biscotti
  • 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups candied pecans

Preheat your oven to 350F. Cream the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs one at a time until you have a nice yellow batter. Add the vanilla extract. Add in one cup of flour, along with the baking powder and salt and mix thoroughly. Then, add in the remaining flour. The mixture will be fairly thick. Add in your candied pecans or stir by hand.

Place two equal globs of the dough on your baking sheets lined with parchment paper. With wet hands (to prevent the sticky dough from sticking to your hands!), form each of the blobs into a flat log about 14″ long, 4″ wide, and 3/4″ thick.  Bake in a 350F oven for about 30 to 35 minutes until the logs are a nice golden brown.

Let the logs cool on the tray for about 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks to cool for another 20 to 30 minutes.  Once the logs are almost completely cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to saw the logs into slices.  I like to cut them at an angle. Use a back and forth sawing motion so you don’t rip the whole almonds out of the soft loaf. Once sliced, place the biscotti back on the cookie sheet.

For the second bake, transfer back to the parchment covered baking sheet with bottom side down and bake for about 7-10 minutes. Bake for more time if you like them crispy or less time if you prefer them softer.

Finally, place your biscotti on a cooling rack for 30 to 60 minutes.  They will keep in an airtight container for 1 – 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Cranberry Orange Pecan Biscotti

Biscotti get a bad rap for being dry and hard. It’s almost like you’re forced to dunk them in your coffee or tea so you don’t break a tooth.  This recipe is oh so different.  It must be the magical combination of the cranberries and pecans… creating a much softer and more delicate cookie. Now you can choose whether you want to dunk or not:) Of course, I still eat them with my coffee for breakfast. Coffee makes everything better, amiright?

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Orange Pecan Cranberry Biscotti
  • 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • zest of 2 oranges, chopped
  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • 1 cup dried cranberries

In a stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter and sugar until light and creamy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat at medium speed for a couple of minutes.  Now, add in the orange zest. (I like to zest my orange to obtain long zest strips and then cut them up into nice small (1/8 inch or so) pieces.)

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Now, mix in one cup of flour along with the baking powder and salt. Once combined, add the remaining flour. It will be fairly think at this point. Finally, add in the pecans and dried cranberries. You can either mix for just a few seconds with the mixer or give a quick stir by hand.

Place the dough in two piles on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet.  One very simple trick is to wet your hands, which will make it much easier to form the logs.  It really keeps your hands from sticking to the dough!

This batter will become wider as it bakes. I like to shape them into about 4″ wide logs, anticipating that I will end up with about a 6″ wide final loaf.  Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes, until they turn a light golden brown.

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Let the logs cool on the tray for about 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks to rest for another 20 to 30 minutes.  Once the logs are almost completely cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to saw the logs into slices.  I like to cut them at an angle. Use a back and forth sawing motion so you don’t rip the big pieces of pecans out of the soft loaf. Once sliced, place the biscotti back on the cookie sheet.

Lay them on one side and bake for about 6 to 8 minutes, then flip them over and bake another 4 to 6 minutes on the other side, depending on how you like them. (I like to re-bake these slightly less than my other varieties of biscotti to keep them soft, for a different texture.  If they are all the same, what fun is that?)

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Finally, place your biscotti on a cooling rack for 30 to 60 minutes.  They will keep in an airtight container for 1 – 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

My dad doesn’t call himself BiscottiDave for nothing. For starters, he always makes his famous biscotti to support bake sales and fundraisers. He even teaches biscotti making classes at our local community college and church! I might be biased, but I’m telling you that his recipes create the best biscotti I’ve ever tasted:)

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Here is the second installment in our biscotti recipe series – Chocolate Almond Biscotti. If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure to check out our classic almond biscotti recipe! Continue reading Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Almond Biscotti

Sarah snuck that short rib post in here, but I hope you didn’t put your stand mixer away for too long. Let’s return to the sweeter side of life, with one of my most requested and perfected recipes – biscotti!

I can’t think of anything more relaxing than sitting inside on a cold day with a nice cup of coffee or tea and one or two kinds of biscotti…or maybe three or four…

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I decided to crank up the biscotti machine today (wouldn’t that be cool if there was such a device?) and make four different flavors. My wife thinks a quadruple biscotti day is a little insane, but once I get on a roll, I just keep on baking:)

Each cookie deserves its own post, so let’s start here with my quintessential recipe that sparked by biscotti obsession – almond!

Continue reading Almond Biscotti