Almond Cherry Biscotti Food

CHERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir dried cherries and amaretto liqueur together in a saucepan over medium heat until the amaretto comes to a simmer; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid for later use.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Beat butter with 1 cup sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat 3 eggs into butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, blending in each egg before adding the next. Stir reserved cherry liquid and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients.
• Beat butter with 1 cup sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat 3 eggs into butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, blending in each egg before adding the next. Stir reserved cherry liquid and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients.
• Stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients a little at a time to form a smooth dough. Gently fold cherries and almonds into dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, divide in half, and form each half into a log 12 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Gently press the logs with your fingers to flatten to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Transfer loaves to the prepared baking sheets, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle each with 1 1/2 tablespoon white sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the loaves are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire racks and cool for 20 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice each loaf on the diagonal into 16 pieces. Transfer the biscotti to baking sheets. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Bake in the oven for 8 minutes; flip biscotti and bake until crisp and lightly browned, about 8 more minutes.

ALMOND CHERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. , In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla; stir into flour mixture until blended. Stir in almonds and cherries (dough will be crumbly)., Divide dough in half; shape into two balls. On an ungreased baking sheet, shape each half into a 10-in. x 2-1/2-in. rectangle. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove to wire racks; cool for 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a sharp knife into 3/4-in. slices. Place cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake for 15 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

CHERRY-ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat cherries and liqueur in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cherries have softened, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. If liquid equals less than 2 tablespoons, add enough liqueur to make 2 tablespoons.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Mix in reserved cherry liquid and the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in cherries and almonds.
• On a lightly floured surface, halve dough. Shape each half into a 12 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch log. Flatten logs to 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Brush logs with beaten egg; sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
• Bake 35 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks to cool, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Cut each log on the diagonal into 16 to 18 pieces. Transfer pieces to racks, laying them on sides. Set racks on baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes; flip. Bake 8 minutes more. Let cool until crisp.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large cookie sheet.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the almond extract. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in candied cherries and mini chocolate chips.
• With lightly floured hands, shape dough into two 10 inch long loaves. Place rolls 5 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet; flatten each to 3 inch width.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until set and light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange slices cut side down on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottoms begin to brown. Turn, and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until browned and crisp. Cool completely. Melt white chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds until smooth. Drizzle cookies with melted white chocolate. Store in tightly covered container.

APRICOT AND ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove enough zest from one large orange to make 1 tsp. set aside.
• Squeeze the orange to obtain 2 teaspoons of orange juice.
• Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and mix together thoroughly.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, eggs, salt, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and pale.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl a little bit at a time. Add in the chopped apricots and almonds and mix on medium-low speed until all the ingredients are moistened.
• Let the dough rest a couple of minutes in the mixer bowl.
• Scrape out the dough with a rubber spatula onto a lined cookie sheet (I used a sheet for each log) and divide the dough in half.
• Spray hands with cooking spray. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, then shape each into a flattened log, about 3 inches wide and 12 inches long. If you are using one baking tray, place logs a few inches apart on the baking sheet so they won't stick together as they bake. If you have two sheets, place one log on each lined baking sheet.
• Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, about 20-25 minutes.
• Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let logs cool completely (could take a full 30 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Transfer the first loaf carefully to a cutting board. When the logs have completely cooled down, begin slicing the first log by pressing a very sharp knife straight down into the dough. Place the cookies back on the baking sheet, cut sides up. Keep in mind that the when you slice on a bigger angle, you will get much longer cookies. If you slice short angles, you'll get small biscotti. Place the second log on the cutting board and repeat process cutting out the cookie pieces and placing on the baking sheet.
• Bake 7 minutes, flip biscotti, and bake 7 minutes more.
• Set the sheet on a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. After 3 days, safest to store in the refrigerator.

CHERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Combine 3/4 cup sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
• Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed, scraping bowl often, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thick and pale yellow in color.
• Add oil, orange juice, orange peel and vanilla; beat 1 to 2 minutes, or until well mixed.
• Combine flour, walnuts, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture.
• Mix on low speed 1 to 2 minutes, or until well mixed.
• Stir in cherries by hand.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface (dough will be soft and sticky).
• Lightly sprinkle with additional flour; knead flour into dough.
• With floured hands, shape into 2 (8x2-inch) logs.
• Place 3 to 4 inches apart on a greased baking sheet; flatten tops slightly.
• Combine egg white and water; brush on logs.
• Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Bake in a preheated 350°F oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until light brown and firm to the touch.
• Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch slices with a serrated knife; arrange slices, cut-side down, on baking sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes; turn slices.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove to wire rack; let cool completely.

CHERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet.
• 2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
• 3. Crack and place eggs in a small bowl. Add extracts.
• 4. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 - 4 minutes. Beat in eggs with extracts one at a time until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrap down sides of bowl as needed.
• 5. Reduce the mixer speed to low (very important) and slowly mix in the flour mixture until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stir in almonds and chopped cherries and incorporate any remaining flour on sides of bowl.
• 6. Using floured hands, split the dough in half. On the parchment lined baking sheet roll or press each half into two logs 12-13 inches long and about 3 inches wide. Placing logs about 3 inches apart. Sprinkle with course sugar crystals and lightly press into loaf.
• 7. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and just beginning to crack on top about 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
• 8. Remove loaf from oven and place the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• 9. Place the loaf on a cutting board (remember not the side of the cutting board used for onions or garlic!) and slice each loaf into 3/4 inch thick slices using a serrate knife or a very sharp knife. Lay the slices cut side down about 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet.
• 10. Bake 12 - 14 minutes and then turn the slices over bake another 12 - 14 minutes until the slices are crisp and golden brown. Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving, about 30 minutes.
• 11. OPTIONAL - Prepare after biscotti has cooled. In a small saucepan heat and stir chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white baking squares and 1 TBS shortening over low heat until smooth. Dip bottom edge of each cookie into the melted chocolate or drizzle the chocolate over the top of the biscotti. Let stand until set.

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, fold in the almonds and dried cherries.
• Divide the dough in half and roll the dough into 2 logs. If the dough is sticky, dust with a little flour. Roll the logs to the length of a sheet pan. Beat the egg white with a splash of water. Brush the logs with the egg white and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Transfer to a sheet pan and place at least 3 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven let cool for 10 minutes. Remove logs to a cutting board and slice on the bias about 3/4 inch thick. Lay the biscotti back on the sheet pan and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. This will harden the biscotti. Cool completely on a rack.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Dip each biscotti or pretzel in the chocolate to cover half of each and then dip in the sprinkles or candy cane pieces. Set each piece on the lined cookie sheet to allow the chocolate to harden. Store in a cool place in air-tight containers. Try not to eat them all at the same time.
• Bring a saucepan with 1-inch of water in it to a boil. Put the chocolate in a large metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with boiling water. Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water. Stir the chocolate until it is almost completely melted. Remove it from the saucepan and continue stir until the chocolate is completely melted. This entire process should take no more than 5 to 10 minutes.

CHEF ANNE'S DRIED CHERRY & ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and granulated sugar and mix, scraping down the sides as needed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 whole eggs one at a time, stirring to combine thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Stir until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Fold in the almonds and cherries.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two logs, about the length of the baking sheet, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the logs with the egg wash, sprinkle them with the turbinado sugar, and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the logs from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and use a serrated knife to cut them into 1/2-inch slices-on the bias-while they are still warm (slicing them while warm will prevent crumbling). Keep the ends to nibble on while the other biscotti are baking.
• Lay the biscotti back on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes to toast and harden.
• Let the biscotti cool and store in an airtight container.

ALMOND CHERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla; stir into flour mixture until blended.
• Stir in almonds and cherries (dough will be crumbly).
• Divide dough in half; shape into two balls.
• On an ungreased baking sheet, shape each half into a 10-in. x 2-1/2-in. rectangle.
• Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
• Carefully remove to wire racks; cool for 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a sharp knife into 3/4-in. slices.
• Place cut side down on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until firm.
• Remove to wire racks to cool.
• Store in an airtight container.