Whole Grain Cinnamon Nut Baby Biscotti Food

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.

HEARTY WHOLE WHEAT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Mix together dry ingredients.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Divide dough in half. On greased baking sheet, form 2 logs about 2 inches wide and 13 inches long.
• Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees, then cool on rack for 5-10 minutes.
• Slice with serrated knife at ½ inch intervals.
• Return to oven for 10-15 minutes more, turning once.
• Cool completely and store in airtight container.
• If you have trouble handling the dough because of stickiness, add a little more flour, but not more than ¼ cup. Try oiling your hands or using a rubber spatula and wax paper.

BISCOTTI: TRADITIONAL AND WHOLE GRAIN KAMUT

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 300F and line a medium or large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a second bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, oil and extracts/liquors.
• Using a spatula, mix the dry ingredients into the wet until they are incorporated.
• Add the nuts and dried fruit last.
• Scoop half the batter out of the bowl with your spatula and lay it on your baking sheet, dragging it into a line and smoothing it with wet fingertips. Repeat with the second half of the dough until you have two smooth tubes roughly 2-3 inches wide and 1 inch tall.
• Bake for 35 minutes until the tops are lightly golden.
• Remove from the oven and gently set the biscotti tubes (still on the parchment) on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temp to 275F while the biscotti cool.
• Transfer the biscotti to a cutting board and cut 1-inch pieces on the diagonal using a sharp knife (I prefer a chef's knife over serrated).
• Lay the cut biscotti on the parchment lined baking sheet, cut side up, and bake at 275F for 10 minutes.
• Remove the sheet from the oven, flip all the biscotti over to their other cut side, and bake for 10 more minutes.
• Let the biscotti cool completely on a rack before dipping them in chocolate. Do not store in plastic or they will soften.
• Optional Chocolate Decoration
• Melt 4 ounces of chopped dark chocolate in mug, using the microwave in 15-30 second increments and stirring in between (1-2 minutes total, depending on your microwave).
• Arrange your cooling rack over the same parchment-lined baking sheet you used to bake the biscotti. (You can also place the biscotti directly on the parchment.)
• Dip the one end of a biscotti in the melted chocolate, and scrape one side gently on the rim of the mug as you pull it out. Place the biscotti scraped-side-down on your cooling rack or parchment for minimal dripping.
• If the chocolate re-hardens as you're dipping the biscotti, pop the mug back in the microwave for 15 seconds and clean up the sides of the mug with a spatula.
• Let the chocolate cool and harden completely before gently popping the biscotti off the rack or parchment.