Fresh Fruit Compote With Hazelnut Cinnamon Biscotti Food

FRESH FRUIT COMPOTE WITH HAZELNUT-CINNAMON BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over large bowl to catch juices and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add strawberries, kiwis, 2 tablespoons orange juice, sugar and cinnamon to bowl; toss to blend. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
• Divide compote among 8 bowls. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired. Serve with Hazelnut-Cinnamon Biscotti.

CINNAMON HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; mix into the egg mixture. Stir in the hazelnuts. Shape dough into two equal logs approximately 12 inches long. Place logs on baking sheet, and flatten out to about 1/2 inch thickness.
• Bake for about 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are golden and the center is firm. Remove from oven to cool on the pans. When loaves are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to slice the loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet.
• Bake for an additional 10 minutes, turning over once. Cool completely, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

CINNAMON SUGAR BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sift together the flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the 2/3 cup sugar and butter. Beat in 1 egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients.
• On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 9 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place logs on the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly. Brush with the beaten egg.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden and firm to the touch. Cool for 15 minutes.
• On a cutting board, slice each log crosswise at a diagonal into 1/2 inch slices, using a serrated knife. Place back on the baking sheet, cut side down, and sprinkle with a mixture of the remaining cinnamon and sugar. Return to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until toasted. Cool on wire racks, and store in an airtight container.

HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Coarsely chop the hazelnuts. In a bowl, combine the nuts, sugar, butter, liqueur and eggs; mix well. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead briefly; then form into a long loaf about 2 inches wide. Place the loaf on a parchment-lined or lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 25 min. or until firm. The loaf will have a cakelike texture. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Cut the loaf diagonally into 1/4-1/2 inch slices and lay those out on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes more, turning them once until both sides are lightly browned and toasted. Cool and store in an airtight container.

HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Variations-------------.
• GINGER: halve the amount of the nuts and add 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/3 cup minced candied ginger and 1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger.
• Omit the hazelnut liquer and add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• ORANGE:Add 3 tablespoons grated orange zest and use orange liquer instead of hazelnut.
• CHOCOLATE: Increase the amount of cocoa to 1/2 cup, increase the liquer to 1/4 cup.
• Decrease nuts by 1/3 and add 1 cup white chocolate chopped, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• LEMON-PINE NUT: Omit the nuts, cocoa and liquer.
• Use lightly toasted pine nuts and add 1 1/2 tablespoons each of grated lemon rind and lemon juice.
• COFFEE: Using the hazelnut or almond recipe, add 3 tablespoons instant coffee granules.
• Also add 2 teaspoons ground cardamon or cinnamon.
• Halve the amount of the nuts and add 1 cup chopped dried apricots and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Preheat the oven to 350'F (180'C or Gas mark 4).
• Place half of the hazelnuts and ALL of the sugar in a blender (or food processor) and process until the nuts are finely chopped.
• Place in a bowl.
• Coarsley chop the rest of the nuts and add to bowl along with the dry ingredients.
• In another bowl, blend the eggs, liquer and butter.
• Stir into the dry ingredients and knead gently with your hands to form a dough.
• Divide the dough in half and on lightly greased baking trays, form the dough into 2- 14 inch rolls- 3" wide and 1" thick.
• Bake at 350'F for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Cut with a serrated knife into 1/2" slices.
• Return the slices to the baking trays.
• Place them UPRIGHT and SPACED WELL APART.
• Lower the oven to 300'F and bake for another 20 minutes until crisp and dry- but NOT brown.
• Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature.