Tis the Season for Gingerbread!

Nothing says Christmas like Gingerbread but instead of making regular cookies, I made Biscotti and they turned out amazing! I found the recipe came from my Mother-in-Law's Fine Cooking Magazine during Thanksgiving and couldn't wait to try it. The only change I made was substituting dried cranberries for the apricots cuz I just love the red color for the holidays. I really like Biscotti and they're actually fairly easy to make. They're just a bit more time-consuming than regular cookies but totally worth it! I like mine very crunchy so I bake them for another 20 minutes the 2nd time around. I remember the first time I succeeded at making Biscotti and was so proud of myself. I've come a LONG way from then! Sometimes I look back on my blog and I'm so glad I started it cuz it really is a great way to see how far I've come from someone who barely knew how to make spaghetti!

Blue Biscotti for Memorial Day

Ok not completely blue but these Biscotti have blue specks from York Pieces. Have you seen those? They're a new Hershey's product and I love them! They're basically York Mint Patties but in M&M-like candy form. They also come in Almond Joy and Dark Chocolate, which I'm definitely gonna try!

Ingredients: (32 cookies)


1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 c York Pieces (or any other candy you like)


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.


2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla.


3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; blend into creamed mixture. Dough will be stiff. Stir in candy.


4. Divide dough in half and gently roll each half into 12 X 2-inch log; place on prepared cookie sheets at least 4 inches apart.


5. Bake 25 minutes. Dough will spread. Cool logs 15 to 20 minutes. Slice each log into 16 slices; arrange on cookie sheet cut-side down. Bake an additional 10 minutes.

Another Batch of Savory Biscotti

My last batch of Savory Biscotti turned out so good that I decided to make some more. This time I added Parmesan cheese and some chopped walnuts. I also made them smaller so they were perfect bite-size treats!

Ingredients: (16 cookies)


1 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c chopped walnuts


Prep:


1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.


2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the cheese and nuts and mix well. Add the dry ingredients until the mixture just comes together.


3. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and with floured hands, pat into logs about 8x2-inches. Place logs side by side on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the logs with more grated cheese, and bake for about 30 minutes or until the logs are light brown and firm to touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes.


4. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into 1-inch slices (8 per log) and arrange the slices cut side down on the baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Turn, and bake another 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool completely before storing.

Yummy Savory Biscotti!

Who says Biscotti has to be sweet? Just like my Savory Scones, Feta and Tomatoes made another perfect match! I bought a box of Athenos Feta Crumbles (Basil and Tomato flavor, my favorite!) and decided to make these Savory Biscotti. I substituted half of the Feta for some shredded Mexican Cheese cuz I was afraid they would turn out too salty otherwise. They came out great! Savory and yummy with LOTS of cheesy tomato flavor!

Holiday Biscotti

For the holidays this year, I decided to give out boxes of homemade goodies. I've discovered a few favorites from my Cookie Fridays and one of them is Biscotti. I thought Cranberries and Pistachios would make them look very festive! I found this recipe from one of my favorite baking sites, Joy of Baking, and added some white chocolate chips. They came out SO good with just the right crunchiness (and thank goodness I didn't burn them like I usually do!). The tart cranberries, nutty pistachios and sweet chocolate were just perfect together! I'm sure my guys will LOVE their edible gifts!

Giada Would be Proud!

Tomorrow will be my first Cookie Friday in 2009 and I decided to test out a recipe from my new Everyday Italian Cookbook from Giada. Remember the last time I attempted Biscotti? Well, this time I actually SUCCEEDED! The only thing I changed was using chopped pecans unstead pistachios just cuz I LOVED pecans! What beauties huh? Twice baked and twice as yummy!