Cinnamon sugar biscotti

Every holiday season, there are the baked goods that I share and feed to others, and then there are the ones that I don't. Surely I can't be the only one who has less-successful baking ventures? My reasons for not sharing--whether at the work event where I make nibbly foods, or in the baking tins I share with family and friends--can be varied: it simply didn't turn out, or it didn't turn out as I had hoped... two very different things.

The biscotti I'm sharing today didn't make the cut for one simple reason, it's kind of plain looking. I know that might seem really discriminatory--poor biscotti can't help that it's rather monochromatic and beige, can it? But when I'm assembling holiday platters and goodie boxes, color and texture really DO matter. So this is one that I nibbled myself with coffee during the holidays, but didn't share further.

I made one large batch--probably quadrupled what you see below--and cut the first log into slices and continued baking. Once I saw the color and decided to keep moving along in terms of other baking, I took the remaining logs (uncut) and froze them. I do remember happily enjoying a few with morning coffee, back in December... but then promptly forgot about them in the new year.

Imagine my delight when I was rummaging around in the freezer this morning, looking for something, anything, to be a small sweet treat to accompany breakfast, and I saw these goodies? I'm really the only one in the household who likes to have something sweet to go with breakfast; both my guys are just fine with eggs, potatoes, maybe a little fruit and breakfast sausages or something, but neither of them have my same "Where's some jam on a scone?" "I need a cinnamon roll!" or "Just one bite of a blintz, please?" tendencies.

I took one biscotti log out of the freezer, defrosted it in the microwave and sliced it. I didn't run it back through the oven this morning, as I was quite happy with the flavor and texture as I dipped it in my coffee. But I do think it certainly would have more of an authentic biscotti texture if I did that in the future.

The flavor is quite a bit like cinnamon-sugar toast from childhood, and goes really well with coffee. What's not to love?!

Cinnamon sugar biscotti
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add 1 egg; beat well. Add egg yolk; beat well. Mix in vanilla, then dry ingredients.

Transfer dough to work surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into 9-inch-long, 1 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer logs to baking sheets. Beat remaining egg in small bowl. Brush logs with egg. Bake until golden and firm to touch (dough will spread), about 50 minutes. Cool on baking sheets. Maintain oven temperature.

Mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Using serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti, cut side down, on baking sheets. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon sugar over each biscotti. Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on racks. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)

I believe I got the original idea from Pinterest, but when looking over the variety of recipes there and comparing to Epicurious, I went with the one on Epicurious. Simple, and delicious.

And, as I've already mentioned, it freezes well. Make a batch, and pull them out as needed for a weekend treat! I know I will be doing that again, soon.

Enjoy!

Goody platter delights!

Here's a platter of goodies I took to a ladies' tea a couple of weeks ago... and these also graced teh first work party, too. Candy cane biscotti (left), fruit and nut fudge (center) and elfin shortbread bites (right). A happy trio!

Elfin shortbread bites

1 1/4 cups flour

3 T sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 TB red and green sprinkles

If using a food processor, pulse the flour and sugar until blended. Add in the butter until it all resembles fine crumbs. Add the sprinkles and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. (Don't overdo it, or the dough will turn pink from the sprinkles.)

Remove to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until the dough forms a ball. The original recipe I found online called for patting it out into a square and cutting little squares. I decided I wanted round shapes, so used a melon baller and used that to shape little cookies.

Bake at 325 for 12-14 minutes, and then transfer the cookies on the parchment to a cooling rack. Store in a tightly covered container at room temp for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. Makes approximately 4 dozen little rounds.

Candy cane biscotti

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

2/3 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes

Coating:

1 14 oz. package white chocolate chips

Crushed peppermint candy canes

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 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 long round logs with lightly floured hands. Place logs three 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 oven termperature to 325 degrees. 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. Arrange pieces on same cookie sheet, cut side down.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, turning once, or until cookies are ligh golden brown and crisp on both sides. Place on cooling rack, cool completely.

Melt white chocolate in microwave--1 minute, then stir, continue 30 seconds at a time, stirring until chocolate is melted. Dip one end of biscotti into chocolate, then into bowl of chopped candy canes, set on wax paper until hard.

Makes about 4 dozen biscotti.

Fruit and Nut Fudge

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

3 cups chocolate chips (half semi-sweet, half milk chocolate)

1.5 tsp vanilla

Dash salt

1/2 c toasted hazelnuts, chopped in half

1/2 c dried blueberries

1/2 c dried cherries

Foil line an 8x8 pan, and spray lightly with cooking spray. Melt your milk, your chips and vanilla in a pot on stove top. Remove from heat, stir in nuts and fruit, then pour into foil-lined pan. Chill 2 to 3 hours. Put your longest non-serated cuttin' knife in a glass of warm water, wipe dry, then slice. Re-heat your knife via the water whenever the going gets less smooth.