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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti

partysugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:00:14 -0800

Biscotti is typically a sweet treat, but it's delicious when made with savory ingredients like Parmesan cheese and fresh-cracked black pepper. These crisp, cracker-like cookies make a delightful homemade gift.

Don't be intimidated by the recipe, although it involves dough and double baking, it's actually uncomplicated. I've never made biscotti and was a little nervous, but the technique was surprisingly simple. Be sure to read the recipe carefully before you begin to bake.

The recipe makes a large batch so I gave some to my grandfather and his girlfriend, and served the rest with wine and salami at an informal dinner party. To fill your house with a marvelous, comforting smell, bake these and read more.

Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (2 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder*

Directions

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Pulse peppercorns in grinder until coarsely ground.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 2 cups cheese, and 1 tablespoon ground black pepper in a large bowl.
Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk 3 eggs with milk and add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quarter dough. Using well-floured hands, form each piece into a slightly flattened 12-inch-long log (about 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch high). Transfer logs to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging logs about 3 inches apart.
Whisk remaining egg and brush some over logs, then sprinkle tops of logs evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 1/2 tablespoon ground pepper. Bake, rotating sheets 180 degrees and switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until logs are pale golden and firm, about 30 minutes total.
Cool logs to warm on sheets on a rack, about 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
Carefully transfer 1 warm log to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife. Arrange slices, cut sides down, in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining logs, transferring slices to sheets.
Bake, turning over once, until golden and crisp, 35 to 45 minutes total. Cool biscotti on baking sheets on racks, about 15 minutes.

Makes 5-6 dozen biscotti.

*I do not own a spice grinder, so I hand cracked the black pepper using my everyday pepper grinder.

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YumSugar Gift Guide: The Global Gourmand Grandpa

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:00:12 -0800

Shopping for an epicurean grandpa who's more well-traveled than you? Fret not. If he's been tasting his way around the globe, chances are, he's open to eating anything.

If he's enjoyed traveling to Japan, present him with this matcha green tea set. Remind him of his trip to Scotland last year with Spey smoked salmon. Or send him an assortment of exotic imports: It's the closest you can get to giving him the world.

For more gift ideas, browse the selection below. Check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

Drink or Eat Your Espresso Today

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:18:11 -0700

I'm not much of a coffee drinker, so I prefer to consume my espresso inside of baked goods. However, many of you are indeed coffee drinkers, so for today's featured cookie, I've found an espresso-filled baked good that also pairs well with coffee. These traditional-style biscotti are flavored with instant espresso and then smothered in chocolate. And of course, they're perfect for dunking. If that doesn't sound good, then I don't know what does! For the recipe, read more

Chocolate Dipped Cappuccino Biscotti
From De Fazio Gourmet

1 cup toasted & chopped hazelnuts
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine, cut in small pieces
2 large eggs
6 ounces semisweet chocolate coating for dipping

Preheat oven to 350. Grease large baking sheet.
Combine flour, sugar, espresso, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a bowl. With pastry blender, cut in butter to form coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts and eggs.
Divide mixture in half. On floured surface, with floured hands, roll each half into 12 inch-long log. Flatten to 2 1/2 inch width. Place logs about 4 inches apart, on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until cookies are slightly firm to the touch. Cool 20 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut the logs diagonally into ¾ inch thick slices.
Return biscotti to cookie sheet. Bake 10 - 15 minutes until crisp and firm. Cool.
Chocolate can be melted in a double boiler. Dip one side of each biscotti in melted chocolate. Refrigerate biscotti until chocolate hardens.

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Summer of Sandwiches: Chocolate Citrus Biscotti with Orange Ice Cream

YumSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:01:31 -0700

While I was chomping down on the biscotti I made the other day, I realized that it would be an even better treat if there was ice cream involved. The biscotti had an citrus hint to it, so I figured why not up the ante a bit and add an orange flavored ice cream. I found a recipe for a simple (no cooking involved, just mix, chill and freeze) recipe for orange ice cream, and the results were fantastic. It was almost like adding a creamsicle between two crispy crunchy cookies! The cornmeal in the biscotti really paired nicely and this ice cream recipe is one I'll definitely be making again. To get the recipe, and see more photos of drool-worthy ice cream sandwiches, read more

You can either make the biscotti and ice cream yourself, or pick up two pieces of your fave biscotti and a pint of a complementary ice cream. Also if I make this recipe again, I am definitely going to cut the biscotti into thinner, easy to eat pieces before their second bake.

Orange Ice Cream
From Joy of Baking

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (120 ml) half-and-half
2 cups (480 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl or measuring cup combine all the ingredients.
Cover and place in the refrigerator until it is completely cold (several hours or overnight).
Transfer the mixture to the container of your ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Once made, transfer the ice cream to a chilled container and store in the freezer. If the ice cream becomes too hard place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving so it can soften.

Makes about 3 cups.

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52 Weeks of Baking: Chocolate Citrus Biscotti

YumSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:57:31 -0700

A few years ago, I became obsessed with biscotti. I found myself making batch after batch of the traditional Italian cookie - which roughly translates to "twice baked" - trying to find a recipe that was tasty on its own, as well as dunked into a frothy latte. Eventually I landed on a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis that combines fragrant citrus flavors with a lovely layer of chocolate. That alone should have made it the winner, however it was actually the addition of corn meal that pushed it over the edge. The texture is unlike most biscotti and you'll find that you'll be perfectly happy snacking on them with or without coffee. And believe it or not, biscotti is actually quite easy to make - so check out the recipe read more

Chocolate Citrus Biscotti
From Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in another large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the orange and lemon zests to the dry ingredients.
Add the flour mixture to the eggs and sugar and beat just until blended (the dough will be soft and sticky). Let stand for 5 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, forming two mounds spaced evenly apart. Moisten your hands with water and shape the dough into two 11 by 4-inch logs.
Bake until lightly brown, about 35 minutes. Cool the logs for 5 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the same baking sheet.
Bake until the biscotti are pale and golden, about 25 minutes.
Cool the biscotti on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Dip 1 cut side of each biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate.
Place the biscotti, chocolate side up, on the baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes. Dip a pastry brush in the cocoa, then lightly brush the cocoa over the chocolate on each biscotti.
The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

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Biscotti with the Handstand Kids

YumSugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 14:28:19 -0700

A month or two ago, Yvette Garfield told me about a new cookbook she was (sorry for the pun, but wait for it...) "cooking up." It is a series of ethnic cookbooks aimed towards children called Handstand Kids.

Fast forward to last week and a copy of Handstand Kids Italian Cookbook was waiting on my desk. Actually make that a decorative box with a smart spiral bound book (with a nice sealed cover) and a little chef's hat (shorter than the average chef's hat and meant for kids - although it did fit my rather large noggin). The concept was created by Yvette Garfield, a law school graduate with a background in international children's rights and is designed to introduce children to other cultures and volunteer opportunities. In general, I really like the concept and think it would make a great gift. The artwork is vibrant, the characters diverse (ethnicities and eating habits) and there is even a section that tells you the ingredients in both English and Italian. The recipes, however, seem a bit complex (mom & dad, get ready to help out!). Granted, there is a difficulty level on each recipe, but flavored popcorn and homemade biscotti get the same rating, so I'd take it with a grain of salt. I also question the font choice, it's "fun" but seems like it could be a little hard to read.

Overall, it's an interesting concept and a series worth keeping an eye on. This is the first book in the set and I'm sure there will be some tweaks along the way. Available now for $28 +S&H.

To check out the Handstand Kid's biscotti recipe, read more

Bella Biscotti Cookies
From Handstand Kids Italian Cookbook

Makes about 20 biscotti cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp of salt (sale)
2 tsps of baking powder
1 1/4 cups sugar (zucchero), plus more for sprinkling
5 eggs (uova)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup of toasted whole almonds
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of butter (burro)

Tools:
Baking Sheet
Cutting Board
Large Bowl
Measuring Cup and Spoon
Serrated Knife
Small Bowl
Wooden Spoon

Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Grease a large baking sheet with a light coat of burro and then sprinkle the sheet with flour.
Mix the flour, zucchero, baking powder and sale together in the large bowl and make a hole in the middle of the mixture.
Add the 4 uovo, cinnamon, and vanilla into the hole and use the wooden spoon to stir it thoroughly.
Add the almonds evenly throughout the dough and using your hands make the dough into 2 logs.
Place each log onto the baking sheet, leaving 4 inches between the edges and the dough.
Beat 1 uovo in the small bowl and use the pastry brush to coat the logs with the uovo.
Bake the logs in the oven for 15 minutes, until they are a nice golden brown color.
Allow the logs to cool for 10 minutes and place them on the cutting board and cut them diagonally into 2 inch slices.
Arrange the slices back onto the baking sheet so that the cut sides are facing up and bake for another 5 minutes.
Cool the slices and bite into the crunchy goodness!

Alternative: Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the dough. Also, melt chocolate chips in the microwave for 1 minute and dip the ends of the cooled biscotti into the mixture. Refrigerate dipped biscotti for 1 hour and enjoy!

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Back to Baking: Biscotti

partysugar — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 15:47:19 -0800

During the holidays I had this elaborate and grand idea that I was going to try out a whole bunch of new recipes. Since I spent the majority of my days looking for awesome dishes to share with you, the things to make list grew and grew and grew. As Christmas neared, things got crazy and hectic and I completely forgot about my list. Today I found it and am as eager as ever to experiment in the kitchen. This recipe for chocolate hazelnut biscotti is a dessert from my list that I plan on baking soon. The biscotti can stay for up to week in an airtight container and will be a lovely partner to a late afternoon cappuccino. For the recipe, read more

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
From Gourmet magazine

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup blanched hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter and flour a large baking sheet.
In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat until combined well.
Stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough.
Stir in hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
On prepared baking sheet with floured hands form dough into two slightly flattened logs, each 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Bake logs 35 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch.
Cool biscotti on baking sheet 5 minutes.
On a cutting board cut biscotti diagonally into 3/4-inch slices.
Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes.
Cool biscotti on a rack. Biscotti keep in airtight containers 1 week and , frozen, 1 month.

Makes 30 Biscotti.

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Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti

partysugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:10:02 -0800

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Toffee Crunch Bars Marry Coffee and Chocolate

YumSugar — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:00:39 -0800

A couple of weeks ago, I hosted a dinner party at my house for some of my girlfriends. I had the menu down - crudités with romesco sauce and bagna càuda, pasta tossed with Tuscan kale - but no dessert. I panicked about finding the perfect fast, do-ahead, crowd-pleasing close to the meal, until I came across Molly Wizenberg's recipe for these coffee crunch bars in this month's Bon Appétit. When she described them as "the best cookies I had ever tasted," I knew I'd be making them.

Indeed, they were a hit at dinner, with their burnt caramel flavors, almond undertones, and biscotti-like crunch. It goes without saying that they pair perfectly with coffee. To see more pictures and make the exceedingly easy recipe, read more.

Coffee Crunch Bars
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups (firmly packed) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder*
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until blended, about 2 minutes. Add espresso powder and almond extract; beat 1 minute. Stir in flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just absorbed after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds (dough will be thick).
Turn dough out onto ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Using hands, press dough into 12-inch square. Pierce all over with fork at 1-inch intervals.
Bake until edges are lightly browned and beginning to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on sheet 1 minute. Cut into 48 bars. Immediately transfer to rack; cool (bars will crisp as they cool).

Makes 48.

Make Ahead: Can be made 5 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

*I substituted the darkest roast of instant coffee available and doubled the amount to 4 tablespoons.

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Yummy Links: From the Barefoot Contessa to Ginger Ale

partysugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:00:37 -0700

Go inside the Barefoot Contessa's downtown Manhattan apartment. - Serious Eats
The FDA has ruled that high fructose corn syrup is still considered natural. - Slashfood
Learn how to make the perfect martini. - Chow
Bake up a batch of strawberry goat cheese scones. - Baking Bites
If it's too hot to bake in your neck of the woods, consider cooling down with this no-cook biscotti mascarpone parfait. - GlamDish
America's sassiest lifestyle guru, Steve Kemble, teaches you how to host a high style, no stress party. - Hostess with the Mostess
Did you know okra is in season? - The Kitchn
Make homemade ginger ale for just .61 cents. - The Epi-Log

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