Orange-Almond Biscotti

Biscotti is a biscuit that is baked twice in the oven, producing a subtly-sweet, ultra-crisp cookie that is then typically served with espresso based drinks (or milk, the beverage of choice at our house!) The biscotti will store well for several weeks in an air-tight container, but good luck trying to keep them in your house that long!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour*

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup whole almonds with skins

2 tablespoons orange zest (from 1 large orange)

*The original recipe called for unbleached all-purpose flour. Instead, try using 1 cup ground spelt flour and 1 cup ground whole wheat flour. It's a much healthier choice and just as tasty!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Toast almonds in medium-size saute pan over medium heat until skins are browned, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then chop coarse.

2. Sift together flour(s), baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Beat butter and sugar together in bowl of electric mixer until light and smooth; add eggs one at a time, then extracts.

4. Stir in almonds and orange zest.

5. Sift dry ingredients over egg mixture, then fold in until dough is just combined.

6. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Halve dough and turn each portion onto an oiled cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Using floured hands, stretch each portion of dough into a rough 13- x 2-inch log, placing them about 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Pat each dough shape to smooth it.

7. Bake, turning pan once, until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

8. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cut each loaf diagonally into 3/8-inch slice with a serrated knife. Lay the slices about 1/2-inch apart on the cookie sheet, cut side up, and return them to the oven. Bake, turning over each cookie halfway through baking, until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes.

9. Transfer biscotti to wire rack and cool completely.

Yields: 3-4 dozen Each biscotti contains approximately: Calories 74; Total Fat 2.6g; Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 29mg; Total Carbohydrates 11.5g; Sugars 5.7g; Protein 1.5g; Vitamin A 1%; Vitamin C 1%; Calcium 1%; Iron 3%

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated; Modifications mine.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Orange Drop Cookies

My husband said I should rename this recipe Ambrosia Cookies, but this recipe has been in our family for awhile and I don't want to start changing things. I think he wants the name to more accurately depict the taste; he is, after all, the gourmet in our family.

Ambrosia generally refers to something made from oranges and is especially delicious to taste or smell. It is the food of the gods in ancient mythology and literally means heavenly foods or delicacy. I call this wonderfully-moist, cake-like, sugar cookie with a hint of orange lovely. Apparently, my husband thinks it is heavenly.

As for the picky eater in the family, he has officially titled these "The YUM Cookies". Take it from the gourmet to the picky, it's a good tasting cookie!

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs slightly beaten
juice and rind of 2 medium oranges
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat. Add eggs and beat. Add sour cream and beat.


2. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add juice and rind from the oranges.


3. Mix into butter-sugar mixture.


4. Drop by teaspoon on baking sheet.


5. Bake until cookie bounces back to touch, about 12 minutes. Here are the cookies just out of the oven. You can see from the picture that they have a little height to them.



6. Allow to cool on wire rack before frosting.

FROSTING:

Box of powdered sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons orange rind

water; 1 tablespoon at a time

Mix together the first three ingredients in bowl until smooth. You will have a very thick frosting. Begin adding water to the mixture, one tablespoon at a time, until you have a slightly runny frosting consistency. It should look more like yogurt than frosting.

Place aluminum foil underneath wire rake with cookies. This is going to be messy if you don't!Spoon frosting onto the center of each cookie and gently use the back of your spoon to spread the frosting to the edges of the cookie.

Allow frosting to drip over the edges and fully harden on wire rakes before storing. Doesn't that look good? I bet you won't be able to wait for them to harden before you have to eat one!