Candy Bar Biscotti Food

AVô'S BISCOITOS (PORTUGUESE BISCOTTI/COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream together butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.
• Do not undercream or overcream. (Undercreamed butter/sugar looks yellow and dense. Overcreamed butter/sugar looks white and greasy.).
• Add eggs, mixing until blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
• Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, stirring until combined.
• If dough seems dry or flakey, knead slightly.
• Scoop up ping-pong ball sized dollops of dough.
• Roll between your hands to form a 5-inch long "snake", even throughout the length.
• (if dough is too sticky to handle at this point, you will need to add a small amount of flour to the dough to make it workable).
• Brings ends of the "snake" together, slightly folding one end over the other, to form a donut-shape with a small hole in the middle.
• Place cookies 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Let rest on baking sheet 2 minutes before transferring to rack to cool.
• Enjoy!

FRUITED NUT BARS (BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Place nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake nuts for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. Remove from oven and let cool. Chop into hearty sized pieces.
• Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add in vanilla extract and eggs.
• In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and spices
• In a third bowl, sprinkle a tablespoon of the flour mixture on top of the dried fruit and mix together. (This helps to keep the fruit from clinging together in a lump).
• Combine the rest of the flour into the butter, sugar and eggs. Fold in the fruit and nuts by hand.
• Divide the dough into two.
• On a greased, sprayed or lined cookie sheet place half the dough spreading out into a log 1/2 inch high, 1 1/2 inches wide and about 14 inches long. (Keep your ends a little squared off so you don't have itty bitty dried cookies from the end.) Repeat with second log allowing space between for the two logs to expand.
• Bake in the middle section of the oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned (also at 325 degrees). Let sit for a minute then remove to a rack for 5 minutes.
• Place logs on cutting board and using a serrated knife cut log into 1/2 inch pieces at a slight (45 degree) angle. Place the slices back onto the cookie sheet cut side up. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
• Allow cookies to completely cool before storing in a tightly covered tin. Stored well biscotti will last for a week or two.

CHOCOLATE-FILLED BISCOTTI

Steps:

• For cream cheese filling dough: In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until well blended. Gradually add the sugars and beat 3 minutes or until light and creamy.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended.
• Place level 3/4 cup dough on sheet of plastic wrap. Repeat to make 8 more 3/4 cupfuls. Wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to roll out dough, prepare chocolate filling: In 2-quart saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk and chocolate over medium heat just until chocolate melts; stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in walnuts. Cool filling to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 large cookie sheets.
• Remove 1 piece of dough from refrigerator. On lightly floured 16-inch sheet of waxed paper, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 10-inch by 6-inch rectangle. Spread heaping 1/4 cup filling lengthwise down center of rectangle. Starting from a long side and using waxed paper to help lift dough, fold 1 side of dough lengthwise over filling, then remaining side over dough (dough should overlap).
• Pick up waxed paper and flip cookie log onto 1 side of prepared cookie sheet, seam side down. Repeat with another piece of dough and filling. Flip second log parallel to first log, leaving about 2 inches between logs.
• Bake logs 20-22 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool logs on cookie sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• While logs bake, repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Wrap each cooled log separately with foil or plastic wrap, and store in tightly covered containers at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in freezer up to 3 months.
• To serve, sprinkle logs with confectioners' sugar. Cut each log crosswise on the diagonal into 12 slices. (If logs are frozen, thaw completely at room temperature before sprinkling with sugar and slicing).

CANDY CANE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often until creamy. Add eggs; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and baking powder; continue beating until well mixed. Stir in crushed candy.
• Divide dough into fourths on lightly floured surface. Shape each fourth into 9 x 1 1/2 inch round logs with lightly floured hands. Place logs 3 inches apart onto lightly greased large cookie sheet.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are cracked and ends just start to turn light brown. Remove from oven; reduce temperature to 325. Cool logs 10 minutes on cookie sheet.
• Carefully remove logs to cutting surface. Cut each log into 1/2 inch slices with sharp serrated knife. [Discard ends] Arrange pieces on same cookie sheet, cut-side down.
• Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, turning once, or until cookies are light golden brown and crisp on both sides. Place onto cool rack; cool completely.
• Place candy coating in 2 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionaly, until melted [5 to 7 minutes]. Remove from heat. Stir in food color and peppermint extract.
• Dip half of each biscotti into melted coating. Shake excess into pan. Place onto waxed paper; immediately sprinkle with decorator candies, sugars or crushed candy canes, if desired. Let set at room temperature until coating is hardened.

CANDY BAR BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with shortening. Combine first 5 ingredients and set aside. Using electric mixer, cream sugar and butter until smooth and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Mix in reserved dry ingredients. Stir in mini chips and toffee bits.
• Spoon dough into 2 log-shaped pieces on prepared baking sheet.
• Using oiled hands, shape into strips that are 11 1/2 inches long and 3 inches wide. Space them on baking sheet 3 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Turn oven down to 325°F Remove parchment paper and place strips on cutting surface. Using serrated knife, cut ends of each strip on a diagonal to create an even edge.
• Then continue to cut each strip diagonally into 1/2 -inch slices. Place slices back onto baking sheet cut sides up. Bake at 325°F for 15 more minutes, until crisp. Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in airtight container.
• Makes 32 biscotti.