Apricot Biscotti Food

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.

APRICOT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in oven 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool slightly. Place nuts in a dishtowel and rub together to remove some of the skin. Coarsely chop and set aside.
• Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until soft and creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add lemon rind and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat well.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir to blend. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low until a smooth dough forms. Stir in hazelnuts and apricots.
• Divide dough in half. With lightly floured hands, form dough into two 10 x 2-inch logs. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet 15 minutes. Transfer logs to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut straight down through the log to make 1-inch-thick slices; discard end pieces. Arrange on a baking sheet.
• Bake 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn biscotti over and continue baking until lightly browned on the other side, about 9 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets before serving or storing. The biscotti store well for one week and freeze well. Makes about 20.

ALMOND-APRICOT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line 18x12x1-inch cookie sheet (or jellyroll pan) with foil (or parchment paper).
• Butter and flour foil (not the parchment).
• Combine flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger in food processor.
• Process until fine meal forms.
• Add white chocolate and process until finely chopped.
• Add toasted almonds and chop coarsely, using 5 to 7 on/off pulses.
• Beat eggs, brandy and extract in large bowl (You might want to use a counter top mixer).
• Add flour mixture and apricots to liquid mixture.
• Stir until moist dough forms.
• Drop dough by spoonfuls in three evenly spaced 12-inch-long strips on prepared sheet.
• Moisten fingertips and shape each dough strip into 2-inch-wide log.
• Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees (F).
• Bake until logs are light brown, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer sheet to rack and cool completely.
• Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees (F).
• Transfer biscotti to work surface.
• Cut logs from sides of pan if necessary.
• Using very sharp knife, cut each log crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide slices.
• Arrange half of cookies cut side down on cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Gently turn cookies over and bake 10 more minutes.
• Transfer cookies to cooling rack.
• Repeat baking with remaining cookies.
• Cool cookies completely before serving or storing.

APRICOT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Chop the apricots.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, beat 3 eggs, orange zest, and vanilla with an electric mixer until just combined. Stir in the flour mixture and beat until a stiff dough is formed.
• Fold in apricots.
• In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with the water. Form the dough into 2 logs, about 12 inches long each. Place on a greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Brush with egg wash.
• Bake at 350 degress for 40-50 minutes, until golden. Allow the logs to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes.
• With a serrated knife, cut the baked logs diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices (cut side down) on the baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 or 15 minutes more, until golden Cool on a wire rack. After cool, keep fresh in an airtight container.

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat butter, sugar and eggs together in large bowl.
• Add in melted, cooled white chocolate.
• Add all remaining ingredients making sure to blend well.
• Dough will probably be sticky.
• Grease and flour 2 cookie sheets.
• Spoon half of the cookie dough evenly onto both cookie sheets and shape into a long wide log.
• Bake for 30 minutes then cool for 10 minutes.
• Cut into 3/4" wide slices.
• Return cookies back to sheet and cook another 20 minutes, making sure to turn cookies once during last baking.
• Cool and store in covered container.

APRICOT-PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed, using paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and beat on medium until coarse crumbs form. With mixer on low, add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition; mix in apricots, pistachios, and fennel seeds. Continue to mix until dough forms a ball, about 1 minute.
• On a parchment-lined baking sheet, shape dough into two 2-by-12-inch logs. Bake until dry and set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. Transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut logs on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices. Bake on parchment-lined sheets until golden, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on sheets on racks. (Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.)

APRICOT GINGER BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly butter a baking sheet and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• In a bowl soak apricots in boiling hot water to cover 5 minutes. Drain apricots well and pat them dry with paper towels. Chop apricots fine. In another bowl lightly whisk together eggs and transfer 1 teaspoon egg to a small bowl. Whisk water into the 1 teaspoon egg and reserve egg wash.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer blend flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add remaining egg and vanilla and beat until a dough forms (dough will be sticky). Stir in apricots and ginger.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 6 times. Working on baking sheet, with floured hands form dough into a 6 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch rectangle. Brush rectangle with some reserved egg wash and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Cool rectangle on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes. Loosen rectangle from baking sheet with a metal spatula and carefully transfer to a cutting board.
• Cut rectangle crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange biscotti, cut side down, on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes on each side, or until pale golden. Transfer biscotti to rack and cool. Biscotti keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days or frozen 1 month.

ALMOND APRICOT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add whole egg, milk, and extracts, stirring with a fork until a soft dough forms, then knead in almonds.
• Divide dough between 2 sheets of wax paper, then form into 2 equal mounds and flatten each mound into a 5-inch disk. Put half of apricots in center of 1 disk and fold dough over apricots to enclose them (use wax paper as an aid if necessary), then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form into a 14- by 2 1/2-inch log lengthwise on 1 side of baking sheet, spreading dough with wet hands. Make another log with remaining dough and apricots, arranging it about 4 inches from first log.
• Brush logs with egg wash and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and firm, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 20 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F while logs cool.
• Carefully transfer baked logs to a cutting board using 2 wide metal spatulas, then cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide slices with a large heavy knife.
• Line baking sheet with a clean sheet of parchment. Stand slices, curved sides up, 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet and bake in upper third of oven until biscotti are dry, about 30 minutes (they will become hard as they cool). Transfer biscotti to rack to cool.

APRICOT-WALNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread out nuts on a baking sheet; toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce temperature to 350 degrees.
• Rub nuts between paper towels to remove loose skins; coarsely chop nuts.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Mix in eggs in two batches, mixing each until just combined. On low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in walnuts and apricots by hand.
• Butter a large baking sheet; set aside. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; divide in half. With floured hands, shape each half into an 8 1/2-by-2 1/2-by-1-inch log. Place logs at least 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let logs stand 10 minutes.
• Transfer logs to a cutting board. Clean and butter the large baking sheet; set aside. Brush logs with egg white, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Cut each log crosswise on the diagonal into 12 pieces (each 1/2 inch thick). Lay flat on buttered sheet. Bake 7 minutes; turn pieces. Bake until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool until crisp.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Dip a flat side of 12 biscotti in melted chocolate, arranging cookies, chocolate sides up, on parchment paper as you work. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container, keeping chocolate-dipped ones in a single layer on top, up to 2 days.