Ultimate Holiday Biscotti Chocolate Mint Biscotti Food

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with a light coat of cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, baking soda, salt, eggs and extracts together.
• Add in the almond flour and 2 cups of all purpose flour and mix with a large wooden spoon.
• Begin stirring in the nuts and candied fruit. Sprinkle in the remain 1/4 cup of flour. At this point you will need to put the spoon down and knead by hand. Knead 8 or 9 times until the fruit and nuts are well distributed.
• Divide the dough in half and shape into logs about 9-10 inches long. Be sure that your logs are of an even width from top to bottom. Place on baking sheet several inches apart and lightly flatten the top. (Note the width of the loaves will double in baking.).
• In a small bowl, combine egg and water and blend. Using a pastry brush apply a light egg wash to the tops of each loaf.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack for 8-10 minutes.
• Take loaves and slice on diagonal making wedges 1/2 inch thick. Place slices on baking sheet cut sides up and bake for 3-5 minutes. Turn the cookies over and return to the oven and bake an additional 5-8 minutes. Cookies will be dry and crisp to the touch.
• Place on rack and allow to cool completely before storing.
• Note: For holiday trays you can also make smaller biscotti by dividing the dough into 3 loaves. Reduce initial baking time to 25 minutes. Use the lower ranges in the times given for the second baking. In thirds, my loaves were about 4 inches long, longer when cut on the diagonal.

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
• The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

CHOCOLATE-MINT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.
• Combine eggs, egg white and crème de menthe, stirring well with a wire whisk.
• Slowly add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring by hand until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Mixture will be very stiff.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour evenly over work surface.
• Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead lightly about 7 or 8 times.
• Divide dough in half; shape each half into an 8-inch log.
• Place logs, 4 inches apart, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 325° for 40 minutes; remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
• Carefully cut each log diagonally into 15 (12/-inch) slices and place, cut sides down, on baking sheet.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300° and bake for 18 minutes.

ULTIMATE HOLIDAY BISCOTTI (CHOCOLATE MINT BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
• Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl.
• Using food processor or electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in extract. Mix in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in peppermint crunch chips.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. (Dough will feel very sticky). Flour hands before handling dough.
• Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 15-inch log (about 1 1/4 inches wide). Carefully transfer logs to a prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.
• Bake logs until almost firm to touch but still pale, 25-30 minutes Cool logs on baking sheet 10 minutes.
• Carefully transfer logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, cut logs crosswise diagnally into 1/2 inch thick slices.
• Place slices, cut side down, on prepared cookie sheet. Bake until firm and golden, about 9 minutes. Turn biscotti over and cook approximately another 9 mins or until just turning golden. Transfer biscotti to racks and cool.
• GARNISH: Melt chocolate.( I put the chips in a microwavable bowl and heat for about 1 minute constantly watching. I then stir and if chocolate needs more melting I ad another 30 secs. until chocolate is melted.) (DO NOT OVER COOK or chocolate will become dry and hard and burnt!).
• Dip 1 long side of each biscotti into melted chocolate. Place cookies on wax paper or tin foil and let stand until chocolate is firm.

PEPPERMINT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir in peppermint candy. Gradually add to creamed mixture, beating until blended (dough will be stiff)., Divide dough in half. On an ungreased baking sheet, shape each portion into a 12x2-1/2-in. rectangle. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove to wire racks; cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a sharp knife into 1/2-in. slices. Place cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip 1 end of each slice into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off; sprinkle with candy. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs on med. speed for 1 minute.
• Add vanilla, espresso coffee and peppermint extract ( or oil ). Beat until combined.
• Add chocolate chips.
• Stir in combined flour, salt and baking powder.
• Shape the dough in a 16-inch long log on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Flatten the log until about 2-inches thick.
• Bake the log for 25 minutes in a 350°F preheated oven.
• Cool for 20 minutes.
• Transfer the log to a cutting board and using a serrated knife, cut into 1-inch thick slices.
• Bake slices in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes ( I usually turn off the oven and let them cool in ).
• Transfer to wire rack and drizzle melted milk chocolate over them, if desired.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until fluffy. Beat in eggs and add extracts.
• Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to butter/sugar mixture, blending thoroughly. Dough will be stiff. Use back of spoon to aid in mixing, or you can use and electric mixer on LOW speed.
• Stir in chocolate chips. Divide dough into thirds. Drop each third by spoonfuls onto a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Shape dough into logs aobut 2 x 10 x 1-inch high. Wrap plastic neatly and tightly around the log, closing long sides first, then the ends. Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes.
• Preheat oven ot 350°F Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Unwrap the logs and place them on the lined sheet.
• Bake for 25 minutes, until logs are lightly browned. Remove from oven. Reduce heat to 300°.
• Slide paper or foil with logs off baking sheet and onto a cutting board. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Using a thin sharp knife (I use a serrated knife), cut logs at an angle into slices about 3/4- to 1-inch wide. Slice paper and slices back onto baking sheet. Lay each cookie slice on its side. Return to oven. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn each cookie slice to the opposite side and bake again for 10 minutes.

DIABETIC HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
• Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined.
• Beat in the 3/4 cup egg whites, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, adding the Splenda with the first two flour additions.
• Stir in any remaining flour; the anise and fennel seeds; and the cranberries, pistachios, and apricots with a wooden spoon.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or till dough is easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 12-inch-long log 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place logs at least 3 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Flatten each log slightly to 3/4-inch thickness.
• Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water.
• Brush over logs.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till light brown.
• Cool logs on cookie sheet 1 hour or till completely cool.
• When logs are cool, preheat oven to 325 dgrees F. Transfer logs to a cutting board.
• Cut each log diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Lay slices down on cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
• Turn slices over, and bake 5 minutes more or till dry and crisp.
• Remove and cool on wire racks. Makes about 48.
• TO STORE:: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

CHOCOLATE MINT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325° F. In medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
• 2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter, eggs, vanilla and peppermint extract until mixed.
• 3. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour mixture and beat just until blended.
• 4. Roughly chop Andes mints.
• 5. Incorporate semi-sweet chocolate chips and roughly chopped Andes mints until combined.
• 6. Divide dough in half. On parchment paper lined large cookie sheet, shape each half into 12" by 3" log, about 3 inches apart.
• 7. Bake logs 30 minutes.
• 8. Cool logs on cookie sheet on wire rack 15 minutes.
• 9. Place logs on cutting board. With serrated knife, cut each log crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. With long metal spatula, place slices, top side up, 1/4 inch apart, on same cookie sheet. Bake slices 20 minutes more to allow biscotti to dry out. Cool biscotti completely on cookie sheet on wire rack. (Biscotti will harden as they cool.) Store biscotti in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 2 weeks, or in freezer up to 6 months.
• 10. The additional 20 minute baking time is optional but do lay cookies to dry. Drizzle with chocolate of choice. Add crushed mint chocolate candies or crushed peppermint candies or shake some powdered sugar atop.