Sent my Christmas goodies off to my swap partner in Brooklyn, just one day under the deadline because I was stumped when it came to the traditions requirement of the swap - as in share a family Christmas tradition. I think we're too new a family to have any of our own traditions yet, having done most holiday things but once or twice ourselves. Rituals from my days of yore, like driving around fancy neighbourhoods gawking at the rich folks' Christmas lights, didn't seem quite right. Stumped but with time getting on, I reverted to that old standby: a recipe. I considered my grandmother's shortbread or my mother's sugar cookies but in the end I settled on a biscotti recipe. Here's why. Nine years ago exactly today I met my husband. At the risk of setting off mass eyerolling and gagging, all I will say on the matter is that if I did not believe in love at first sight before December 14, 1998, I did a week later. Fast forward to December 1999 and Christmas with my future in-laws. I knew if I wanted to win the approval of my Italian-Austrian mother-in-law I'd better bake something good. Biscotti. I asked an Italian, food-loving friend for a recipe and this is the one she gave me. The biscotti were a hit. I've made them off and on over the years but when I told the story to my husband and mother-in-law the other day, neither of them had the vaguest recollection of my biscotti. Nothing. Further tarnishing my happy memory is learning that my friend's recipe, the one I'd assumed came from her Nonna's kitchen, was in fact taken from a doctor's office copy of Gourmet magazine. Feh. Life is like that. It's still my lucky cookie.
Orange-Almond Biscotti
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar (I like organic sugar - it's grainier and crunchy. nice in a cookie)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs + 1 large yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp fresh grated orange zest
1-1/2 cup almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
Egg Wash
1 large egg beaten with a splash of water
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Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl whisk together the whole eggs, the single egg yolk, the vanilla and the zest; add the mixture to the flour mixture, mixing until a dough is formed. Stir in the almonds. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it several times and halve it. Working on a large buttered and floured baking sheet, with floured hands form each piece of dough into a flattish log 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Place the logs at least 3 inches apart on the sheet, and brush the tops with the egg wash. Bake the logs in the middle of a preheated 300F for 50 minutes and them cool on the baking rack for 10minutes. On a cutting board, cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices, arrange the biscotti, cut sides down, on the baking sheet and bake them, in the 300F oven for 15 minutes on each side. Transfer the biscotti to racks to cool.
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I like them dusted with a bit of powdered sugar or, if you're feeling fancy, you could dip one end into melted chocolate.
Happy weekend friends.
4 comments:
We use the same recipe. Really good as well is substituting white chocolate chunks and cranberry for the orange zest. And dip in white chocolate. mmmmmm Christmas.
The biscotti I don't remember as well as the great flower pot with the christmas bulb already started. I loved that gift because I knew you had to plan it so far in advance to give it in time for Christmas!
Wow, now it's me who doesn't remember...
Hee hee! My husband and I make key lime pie every year on the anniversary of the day we met (it's also the anniversary of the day we got engaged, one year later). That's my lucky recipe! Must try that biscotti, and soon.
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