Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies......Christmas Biscotti!

I started baking Christmas Cookies on Sunday!  I love baking for Christmas, especially Christmas Cookies!  It was great on Sunday, because my family helped, and we had a really nice time baking in the kitchen.  We put the Christmas music on, and it went really fast.  I usually bake about seven different kinds of Christmas Cookies, I know, crazy right.... but I think this year will be a little less. Just too many around the house for me to eat! 

This Christmas Biscotti is a most delicious recipe, it's easy, and festive!  Biscotti is a cookie that is "baked twice", they are first baked as a large log, and let it cool for 30 minutes, then you slice them and toast them until they are lightly brown.  They become hard and perfect with a cup of coffee!  To top them off, I dip one end in melted chocolate, oh so delicious! Try this recipe, you will love them!

Christmas Biscotti

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds

Cream the butter and sugar in the mixer.  In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix real good.  Add the cranberries and almonds and mix.  Take the dough out of the mixer and put it on a floured board and with floured hands knead a little.  Grease a foiled cookie sheet, and bring the dough over and shape it on the cookie sheet into a long 13x3 inch log. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Right out of the oven from the first bake

Take out of the oven and cool for 30 minutes.  Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slices.  Arrange them cut side down, on the baking sheet.  Bake until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Slicing the Biscotti for the second bake


Melting the Chocolate
1 bag 16 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate
2 TBS Crisco Shortening or oil
Dipping the Biscotti into the Melted Chocolate!

In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate, crisco shortening or oil, microwave on high for 25 seconds, stir, microwave again for 20 seconds and stir again, do not let it burn!  Is the chocolate melted and smooth?  Or do you have to melt it more?  You want the chocolate melted and smooth, almost liquid looking, that's what the crisco or oil are for.  Dip one end of each cookie into the chocolate, and put onto a foiled line cookie sheet.  Let them dry completely.  You may have to put the trays in the frig for one hour or so to get the chocolate nice and hard.  ENJOY!

3 comments:

Lianne said...

I made biscotti once...and it was terrible! Your recipe looks yummy and simpler than what I goofed up!

Liz said...

Oh I am sorry Lianne....this recipe is so good, just make sure you let them COOL before you cut, they will crumble! I didn't dip them in the chocolate this time around, and they still are so yummo! Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

These are great with a cup of coffee