Chocolate Dipped Chai~Almond Biscotti & January's Give-Away Apron

First, Happy New Year!  It certainly came upon us quickly, but as I find I grow older, it usually does:-D!

Today, I made Biscotti--one of my favorites to make because I love those crunchy bites and they're great for dunking.  This basic recipe allows you to find your favorite flavors to enhance the dough and I've chosen Chai and Almond.  I always think of Kelly when I bake with Chai flavors because she was the one to introduce me to Chai Tea back in the 90s. The spices usually include, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Cardamon, and black pepper.  I think it goes quite nicely with the season and a lovely snow storm possibly heading our way for the weekend!

Chocolate Dipped Chai~Almond Biscotti
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 T Chai Spice flavorings

3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour (plain flour)

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. Kosher salt

1 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening and sugar together.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

Add the vanilla and Chai Spice and mix well.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low. When almost incorporated, add the almonds and mix on medium to combine...don't over mix!

The dough will be somewhat sticky, but I have a great way to conquer that.

I use a large scoop to measure out the dough, then, dampen your fingers and form into a log--approx. 12" x 3" x 3/4" thick.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Lower the oven temperature to 300F-degrees.

Allow to cool about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to create 3/4" to 1" thick slices on the diagonal.

Since the name Biscotti means "twiced baked," that's just what you will do.   Bake the slices in the oven 7-8 minutes then turn them over and bake another 7 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

While the Biscotti is cooling, melt Ghirardelli Bittersweet Melting Chocolate in a double boiler.  I used a glass bowl over a sauce pan with about 1" of water in it.

I dip the bottoms, but you can choose what area you want to dip!  I place the dipped biscotti on parchment to set--takes about 30 minutes before you can package them up.

Whether it's a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee, these Biscotti are sure to please. Enjoy!

Now, as promised..ta da...January's Give-Away Apron~

These fabrics really caught my eye at my local quilt store...Wish Upon a Quilt!  If you would like to be wearing this apron while you bake, just make a comment on any posts I do this month.  Good Luck!

Almond Pastry Pillows

I love working with cream cheese dough; I make Rugelach, Pecan Tassies, and now these little Pillows!  The dough comes out flaky and the surprise inside is a nice treat with a cup of tea (or coffee) on these cold days.  We've gone from 76F-degrees to only in the 50s today--I know that's not freezing compared to the snow that Minnesota or Michigan got yesterday, but it is chilly here:-)

I'm in the early stages of planning my cookie boxes for Christmas.  I loved baking cookies with my Mom, who made dozens of cookies to set out for her Christmas Eve buffet, but also to give to friends.  You can freeze a lot of doughs and even some cookies and get a head start--I do.

Almond Pastry Pillows
Dough:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 8-oz. pkg. Cream Cheese, cut up and softened
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together thoroughly until well combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed, with a rubber spatula.  Add the flour and salt and mix on low just until combined.  Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Filling:
1 7-oz pkg. Almond Paste
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg white

Break up the Almond Paste into a bowl and add the sugar.  Beat with a hand mixer until combined, then add the egg white and beat until smooth.

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees (360F-degrees Convection) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take out one of the doughs.  Lightly flour your surface with flour and roll the dough to a 8" x 14" rectangle.

Use a 2-inch square cookie cutter to cut the dough.  Place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush with 1 large egg + 1T water.  Add about 1/2 tsp. of filling in the center and place another square on top.  Lightly press the edges with the tines of a fork.

Brush the tops, lightly with more of the egg wash and sprinkle a few sliced almonds and Sparkling Sugar on top.  Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before packaging them. Makes about 30 cookies. Enjoy!

"Almond Joy" Biscotti

If I were to list my mother's favorite flavors, the list would start with chocolate, lemon, coconut and almond.  These Almond-Joy Biscotti would definitely hit three of her favorites!

Almond Joy was first introduced in 1946 by the Winjamy Candy Company in Boston, Massachusetts.  It had replaced the Dream Bar, created in 1936 that contained diced almonds and coconut.  In 1978 Peter Paul merged with the Cadbury Candy Company, then in 1988, Hershey's purchased the U.S. portion of the company.  Even though, Peter Paul doesn't own any portion of the company, the name still appears on the wrapper.  Remember the jingle in the 70s..."sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don't...Almond Joy got nuts, Mounds don't!"  Well, these biscotti don't have Almond Joys chopped up in them, but I did incorporate almonds, coconut, and chocolate to get my spin on this very popular combination.

Almond Joy Biscotti
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almond slices
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together thoroughly.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.  Add the extracts and mix once more.

Add the coconut, chocolate chips and almonds with 1 cup of the flour, baking powder, and salt to the batter.  Mix on low until blended.  Remove from the stand and stir in the remaining 1 cup of flour.  Divide the dough and pat them into 12" x 3" logs.  Dampen your hands and smooth the top of the dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow to cool about 10 minutes, then use a serrated knife to slice the logs into 3/4-inch slices.  Place face down on a parchment lined baking pan.  Return to the oven and bake 7 minutes, remove from the oven and turn the slices over and bake another 7 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before packing them up into your cookie jar:-D  These cookies have a long shelf life, but I highly doubt they will last very long.  Enjoy! 

Toasted Almond Biscotti

Biscotti, meaning "twice-baked" is one of my favorite cookies to make. The elongated treats are made crunchy by first baking in a loaf, then, slicing in 1/2-inch lengths and baked again.  For all you coffee drinkers...this is a good one for dunking!

My mother never made these cookies, but she would have loved them.  Both Mom and Dad were BIG coffee drinkers; I remember him making coffee, every morning, in a 40-cup urn and they would drink it all day long!  I inherited that 40-cup urn for catering when they toned down their habit to a Mr. Coffee in the 80s:-D  You would think I would also be a coffee drinker, but, no--I'm the only one in eight who has never drank coffee, but I still like these cookies.

The recipe comes from American Test Kitchen which I try to watch every Sunday afternoon on our local PBS station.  I had a chance to meet Christopher Kimball when he came to Seattle a few years ago and have always been impressed by their careful testing of every recipe.  I will say, I did change the method to use my Kitchen Aid, rather than a food processor that they called for.  No particular reason except I think it's easier to clean up.

Toasted Almond Biscotti
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/4 cups whole almonds, toasted lightly
1 3/4 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt*

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast for approximately 7 minutes.  In a food processor, coarsely chop 1 cup of almonds and set aside.  Place the 1/4 cup of almonds in the processor and grind finely. (I used my small Cuisinart to do this.)

*I also used roasted, lightly salted almonds, so I did not add the 1/2 tsp. salt.  If you use a raw almond, you will want to add the salt.

Next, in the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the two eggs until light in color, about 3 minutes.  While the mixer is running, gradually add the sugar and beat an additional 1-2 minutes after it's been all added.

The trick to good Biscotti, that I learned in pastry school, is not to over mix the flour.  So, I sifted the flour and baking powder (also salt, if your nuts were not salted) together and removed the bowl from  the stand to fold it in.  Add the chopped and ground almonds and stir to combine.

On the bottom side of parchment paper, draw two rectangles 3" x 8" and place it on a baking sheet.
Divide the dough between these rectangles and spray a rubber spatula with a baking spray, lightly, to smooth the dough. Make sure you have about 4-inches between the two rectangles to account for spreading.

Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes.  The Biscotti will rise and the tops will "crack" slightly.

Remove from the oven and cool 20 to 30 minutes.  Transfer the cookie "loaf" including the parchment to a large cutting board.  Use a serrated knife to slice--slightly diagonal--1/2" wide.

Place the biscotti back into the oven and bake again for 25 to 30 minutes.  I rotated the two pans after 15 minutes to get an even browning.

These lovely treats are going to my family for Thanksgiving--a time for giving. Enjoy! 

Whipped Shortbread Cookies & September's Apron Winner

Whipped shortbread, or as we know it here in the United States, Spritz, has all the characteristics of shortbread with the addition of eggs or sometimes heavy cream.  This addition makes them very delicate, almost melting in your mouth and wanting more.  I know this cookie well, as I have helped my mother makes dozens of them, mostly for holidays, so choosing them today brought back some wonderful memories. 

However, as usual, I "upped" my recipe with the addition of almond flour, which you can find in the baking section of your grocery store (although I purchased mine from King Arthur Flour).

It's delicate, nutty flavor married well with the lemon zest and vanilla extract which I also use.  This time, I piped a "ring" with the dough and dipped one end in bittersweet chocolate, then, sent them on their way with my hubby to Las Vegas where his nephew is getting married this weekend.  I'm home minding the three new kittens and sewing a Halloween costume for my grandson and a new apron for October!

 

Our little rascals dove into the suitcase and wanted to go on an adventure:-D 

Whipped Shortbread Cookies
1 1/2 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
2 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 cup Almond Flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the whip attachment, cream the butter until fluffy.  Add the confectioners' sugar and whip once more until combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed, with a rubber spatula.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well until fully incorporated.  Add the lemon zest and vanilla and whip once more for 3 minutes.  The batter should look a light yellow and airy.

Add the flours and salt and mix just until combine.  Use a cookie press or a pastry bag and tip (as I did) to pipe the shape you want.

Bake in the preheated oven for 13 minutes, or until a golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to set several minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.  Once cooled, mix up the glaze, if using.

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated until almost boiling
1 T Karo Light Corn Syrup
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Pour the hot cream and Karo Syrup over the chocolate chips and allow to sit for a few minutes.  Then, stir with a small rubber spatula until you have a smooth, consistency.  Dip the cooled cookies into the chocolate or you could spread a thin layer on the bottoms.

As my daughters would say..."these cookies are super good!"  I have a couple last night while watching Bones and relaxing after working in the garden.  I have a lot to do over the next months/year to get my gardens back to what I had accomplished at our old house, but I'm up for the challenge. Enjoy!

Dwarf Buddleja, Columbine, and a border of Liriope are a start!

A very blank canvas, but to me, that's a good thing!

The weather is cool and the leaves are starting to turn, which making gardening so pleasurable.

Speaking of challenges...well, not a big one since I only posted a couple of times in September, but I did want to announce that Gloria from "Quilter" won the apron for the month.

Please email me your address and I will get this lovely apron out to you so you can do some fall baking:-D  I will October's apron up soon...maybe tomorrow!
   

Cranberry~Almond Upside-Down Cake

Thanksgiving (in the United States) is just 2 days away and I'm still deciding on the desserts I will make.  I love cranberries or as we called them growing up, "bounce berries!"  We're so very lucky in the Pacific Northwest that they are grown locally...Oregon, to be exact.  The color and flavor of fresh cranberries far exceeds the ones that are packaged back in September or early October and shipped to the grocery stores.

I came across this recipe in the December 2012 Wholeliving magazine as a food gift to give to friends, which I love doing.  In addition to cranberries, it also caught my attention because it calls for ground almonds, so it makes this recipe Gluten-free; something a lot of my friends have to adhere to.
The only change I made was in the pan I baked them in--it called for 3" x 6" loaf pans, but I used my multi-mini loaf pan which is 2 1/2" x 4", so I was able to get eight cakes.  More to give or eat!!

Cranberry~Almond Upside-Down Cake

2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (about 10.5 oz)
2T granulated sugar 

4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla (+I used 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped)
 
2 cups almonds, toasted and ground
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Measure the 2 cups of almonds and toast them for 5 minutes.  Allow to cool, then grind in the food processor (being careful not to turn them to almond butter!) or use a nut grinder, which is what I did.

Rinse cranberries under cold water and take out any that are spoiled.

Place cranberries and the 2T sugar in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring until cranberries begin to pop--about 6 minutes.

 Melt about 2 Tablespoons of butter and brush the mini loaf pans (you could also use a muffin pan). Divide the cranberry mixture among the openings.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the vanilla and beat once more.

Mix the baking soda and salt in the ground almonds, then, add to the bowl and stir to incorporate.  Scoop the mixer over the cranberries and gently smooth the tops with an offset spatula.  

Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until a tester, inserted in the middle, comes out clean--for the size specified by the recipe it was 30 minutes.  However, for my mini loaf pan, it only took 16 minutes.  For muffins, you will have to test.

Let cool slightly, then place a parchment-covered rack over top and invert pan.  Allow to cool completely before wrapping up the individual loaves.

These were a "test" and I will be dropping them off to a couple of friends today, but when I bake them for our dinner, I'm thinking some homemade vanilla (or even better egg nog) ice cream might be a nice accompaniment--what do you think?  Enjoy!