Hello Bakers,
I have missed you! It has been several weeks since I posted. The kid’s cooking camps have started at Sur La Table, Farmer’s Market - they make the summer very busy. But it is fun. Thursday are baking days and the kids love it.
Today’s recipe is one you have to have in your repertoire - it is a delicious biscotti - one I first made years ago when I worked at Spiagga in Chicago. The way it is written is as a master recipe. Once you learn the technique you can customize them. The variation that’s featured here is cranberry, orange and walnut. I know those are fall flavors - but they love this flavor at Sur La Table. Since my husband has gone keto (so sad) most everything I bake goes to work. I even took the glass cookie jar to work, freeing it from it’s dark cupboard.
The variations are endless, dried blueberry and lemon, dried mango and lime, chocolate chip and hazelnuts, natural sliced almonds and orange, pistachio, white chocolate and dried cherries…it’s pretty endless.
Let me know if you like the concept of these master recipes and what biscotti flavor combinations you come up with. Send photos - it makes me so happy to see your beautiful work.
Happy Baking!
Colette
Equipment: Scale, stand Mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, spatula, half sheet pan lined with parchment paper, pastry brush, serrated knife
Main Ingredients:
11 ounces (312g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces (85g) unsalted butter
4 3/4 ounces (135g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg white, beaten until smooth, for glazing
Sugar for sprinkling
Biscotti Mise en place - this variation is cranberry, walnut and orange zest
Optional Ingredients
3 ounces toasted nuts
3 ounces chocolate chips
3 ounces dried fruits - cut up into small pieces
zest of orange, lemon, and limes
The step by step photos are below.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla (and optional citrus zest) until smooth 2-3 minutes
Beat in eggs one at a time - starting on low speed (about 20 seconds) increase speed to medium, beat 25 seconds, then add the next egg and repeat the mixing sequence.
Add dry ingredients - mixing on low speed until the flour disappears then add dried fruits, nuts or chips and the dough comes together.
Dump the dough onto your work surface, divide in two and form into two logs, each log weighs about 400g. Once shaped they measure 11” long by 1 1/2” wide.
Place the logs on the baking sheet - a few inches apart
Brush with egg white glaze and sprinkle with sugar
Chill for 30 minutes and preheat oven to 350 degrees
Bake until golden brown and cooked through. Started checking in 25 minutes. Test in the center with a cake tester. The logs should be very firm. Mine took about 30 minutes. If you have a convection setting, use - just reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Let cool for 15 minutes, then slice in 1/2” slices on the diagonal. Return to cooking sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool.
Biscotti keep for weeks at room temperature in an airtight container. They are great cookies to send to friends and family. Back in the day, I sent them cross country and they survived the trip just fine.
Butter, sugar, vanilla extract and zest ready to go in the mixer
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla (and optional citrus zest) until smooth 2-3 minutes
Beat in eggs one at a time - starting on low speed (about 20 seconds) increase speed to medium, beat 25 seconds, then add the next egg and repeat the mixing sequence.
Add dry ingredients - mixing on low speed until the flour disappears then add dried fruits, nuts or chips and the dough comes together.
Dump the dough onto your work surface, divide in two and form into two logs, each log weighs about 400g. Once shaped they measure 11” long by 1 1/2” wide.
Bake until golden brown and cooked through. Started checking in 25 minutes. Test in the center with a cake tester. The logs should be very firm.
Let cool for 15 minutes, then slice in 1/2” slices on the diagonal. Return to cooking sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool.