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Monatsarchive: December 2006

Chocolate Biscotti – 5 Times Around

They are indeed 5 of us who conspired to bring you the same biscotti on this nice sunday night. Lisa emailed me the other night asking if I wanted to join her, Yvonne, Brilynn and Peabody in making a chocolate biscotti from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home To Yours. I jumped on the project with great enthusiasm as I had been eyeing the recipe for a while now and thought about including it in some of my Christmas baskets.

At the time of this post, I know that Peabody went after my heart by dipping hers in white chocolate, wicked! and Brilynn went all out with a beauiful combinations of all the variations Dorie gives on the sidebar. I went with the recipe as written…with 2 minor changes. A novelty for me which made B. wondered if I was coming down with something! The reason is twofold: I very seldom follow recipe instructions, always adding or changing ingredients depending on what I have on hand, and because I wanted to see what the "base" recipe would taste like before I start using Dorie’s suggestions for variations and add-ons.

My changes: I did not use espresso powder but 2 TB of strong coffee and I toasted the almonds before adding them to the dough. See! Minor I tell you!

I made them last night and add a bite as soon as they were cool enough to handle and I have to say I was a little disappointed. There was something missing, a little "Oh Yumm!" moment that did not happen. We just had another cookie after taking some pics and I can say that the flavor greatly improved obernight. They are actually excellent! We did not say two words, sipping or tea, twirling that biscotti in it, enjoying a nice fire.

Chocolate Biscotti, adapted from Dorie Greenspan:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TBSP strong coffee
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped almonds, toasted and cooled
4 ounces store bought mini bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and the vanilla and coffee and beat for another 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients, mixing only until dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the chopped nuts and chocolate.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing. Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into a 12 inch long logs. Flatten both logs with the palm of your hand, so that they are 1/2 to 1 inch high, about 2 inches across and sort of rectangular, then carefully lift the logs onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each log with a little sugar.
Bake the logs for about 25 minutes, or until they are just slightly firm. The logs will spread and crack-and that’s fine. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and cool the logs for about 20 minutes. Working with one log at a time, using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between 1/2 and 3/4 inch thick. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet-you’ll have an army of biscotti-and bake the cookies again for another 10 minutes.Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.

Coconut Honey

We just got back from dinner with T&D and I think they were pretty happy with the assortment of goodies I put together: 3 different cookies, spiced nuts, chocolate truffles, homemade marshmallows and this Coconut Honey. The first time I saw the recipe I knew I had to try it as I love everything coconut. My husband B. thought it was a really weird concept but accepted to be my guinea pig, especially when I told him there was no actual coconut thread/flesh in that preserve. It looks funny, sets funny but one spoon on his morning bagel and he was conquered. I tend to give it away for people to try and they always come back for more.

In the spirit of this ongoing series about holiday food gift, here is the recipe for this simple yet luscious spread. I found the original here and adapted it according to the ingredients I could find at the store.

Coconut Honey:

2 cans coconut milk

1 can cream of coconut

600 gr sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 box powdered pectin

Pour the coconut milk, cream and lemon juice in a large pot, add the sugar and slowly heat over medium heat until it boils. Simmer for abut 15 minutes. Stir in the powdered pectin and stir until combined. Boil 2 more minutes. Pour into canning jars. Wipe the mouths of the jars with a clean towel, put the lids on them. Fill a large pot with water, put the jars in it, making sure they are covered with water and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the water. Withing 10 minutes, you should be able to hear the lid pop inward.

Vanilla and Lemon Syrup

In two weeks we’ll be in my hometown in France and then we will have the chance to visit family, go to Normandy, spend a few days in Paris and spend New Year’s Eve with my brother, his family and 4 other couples and their kids. This means that we will miss the holidays here and all the decorations and preparations of Christmas in the US, and some people among our friends and relatives here are getting worried that they won’t have any holiday sweets because we are leaving…I knew why they really like me now!

The theme here for the first two weeks of December is going to be centered around food gifts and holiday baking.
One year we had difficulties Christmas shopping for the ones around us I decided to make gift baskets for everybody. Some had a theme like "Girls night in", "Movie Night", "Next Camping Trip",…. Some included a gift certificates to the recipients' favorite store, some a homemade card, sachets, picture frame, etc… People liked them so much that they started asking if I was going to do again early October!
Since we are leaving soon and we are already invited here and there for dinner before we go, I decided to start my food gift giving early and post about the different items I will include. There is nothing like something homemade this time of year!

I liked the color and the flavor of this syrup so much that this is where I’ll start. Our friends T&D are new foodies but quickly catching up and they like healthful and balance meals as well as the occasional sunday brunch splurge, so this sauce I found on Cooking Light works perfectly next time they make pancakes or waffles. Not too sweet, with a slight tang from the lemon, great consistency.

Vanilla and Lemon Syrup, adapted from Cooking Light:

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; place seeds and bean in a small bowl.
Combine granulated sugar and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla bean and seeds, stirring gently. Cool syrup to room temperature.

Pour syrup and vanilla bean into a glass container. Cover and chill.

Note: Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Yield: 2 1/4 cups