Almond Biscotti or “Can't they get these in New York?”

As an adult, I developed an allergy to dairy. Now, before you say, “Can't you take a pill?”, “What about lactaid?” it's not that type of allergy. For me consumption of dairy results in sinus congestion, sinus headaches, wheezing, throat congestion. You get the picture.

Therefore when my girlfriend, Sally, developed a dairy free recipe for biscotti and fed me the results, I immediately asked for the recipe.

I would be a liar if I said I didn't approach this recipe with trepidation. Drop cookies and bar cookies are my forte. Where biscotti all seem to have a uniform shape, making these for the first time was a bit nerve-racking for me. The second time was much easier as the mystery of getting these cookies into the right shape was solved.

This has become a beloved recipe amongst friends, family and colleagues from as far as away as New York City. Thankfully, this cookie travels well even if the clerk at the local post office quizzically asks, “Can't they get these in New York?” “Yes,” I reply. “However, they're not as good.”

Almond Biscotti

Almond Biscotti - yield: approximately 18 cookies.

¾ cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup almond slivers (I recommend Trader Joe's unsalted, dry toasted slivered almonds)

Place oven rack on middle setting. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.

Cover 15” x 10” or larger cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Dust foiled cookie sheet with flour. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, combine sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Add flour, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. When partially mixed, add almond slivers. Continue mixing. Batter should become very stiff.

Halve batter while still in bowl. Roll or shape dough into two logs, approximately 10” long and 1” thick on prepared cookie sheet.

Two logs of biscotti batter, 

ready for baking

Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for up to 10 minutes. Cut logs into ¾-inch diagonal slices, setting each slice on its side. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove biscotti from oven. Turn each cookie on its other side. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool, serve and store.

Cutting log on diagonal 

 Biscotti ready for more baking

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

I love it when I find a recipe where the amount of the canned ingredient is evenly divisible by the number of cans,--for example 15 ounces of canned pumpkin, three 28 ounce cans of kitchen-ready tomatoes, one 19 ounce can of black beans.  You get the picture.  While the unused portion can refrigerated or frozen, I am usually at a loss on what to do with this leftover amount.  Strange, I know, but true. 

Pumpkin bread is a favorite here from the wonderful aromas of pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon which fill the house as this bread is baking to every slice which is toasted, re-heated and slathered with some form of cream cheese, butter or vegan non-dairy spread.

This recipe makes about 5 mini-loaves, 2 medium height 9” loaves or 1 large 10” loaf.  I prefer to make mini-loaves as this bread freezes well and the small mini-loaf size guarantees a quick defrost when company drops by.  Although I will admit there have been times when slices have been cut from frozen loaves and immediately deposited into the toaster oven with no complaint and complete satisfaction.  For freezing, I suggest wrapping each loaf in plastic wrap and then placing the loaves in a freezer safe ziploc bag.  

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

¾ cup canola oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree or 1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree

5/8 cup water

2 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/8 teaspoon nutmeg

3/8 teaspoon cinnamon

3/8 teaspoon allspice  
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional) 

Place oven rack in middle position.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, eggs and sugar.  Add pumpkin and water.  Mix.  Add the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice.  Stir gently but do not mix too thoroughly. Add nuts or dried cranberries. Once again, stir gently but do not mix too thoroughly.

Pour into greased loaf pan, approximately 5 mini-loaves, 2-9 inch loaf or 1 large 10 inch loaf.  Bake 30-60 minutes or until a straw inserted in the center comes out clean.  Turn bread out of the pan and cool on a rack. 

Irish Soda Bread in five ingredients

This was one of the twelve new recipes I tried in 2011 and have made again and again.  I recently made another loaf and realized this recipe would be one worth sharing.  I like this recipe as it comes together quickly, requires ingredients which I always have around the house and not for just this recipe, requires no yeast, no kneading and produces a lovely loaf of bread. 

This is a slight variation of the Irish Soda Bread recipe which appears in the 13^th edition of the Fanny Farmer's cookbook.

Irish Soda Bread  (yield: one loaf)

2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

2 scant cups milk (dairy, soy or rice)

4 cups flour (all-purpose, whole wheat pastry or spelt)

1 ½ teaspoons salt or 1 1/8 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Place oven rack in middle position.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.

Place the vinegar or lemon juice in the bottom of a 2 cup liquid measuring cup and fill the cup with milk to equal 2 cups.  Set aside to allow milk to “sour”.

In a large mixing bowl, stir and toss together the flour, salt and baking soda.   Gradually add the “sour” milk, stirring until the dough holds together in a rough mass.  (Note, you made need to blend with your hands to get one mass as the dough comes together.)

Shape dough into 8-inch round about 1 ½ inches thick and place in the center of medium-sized non-stick baking sheet.

(optional) With a sharp knife, slash a large ¼-inch deep X across the top. 

Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until bread is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Transfer bread to rack to cool, then wrap in damp paper towel.  Let bread cool completely before serving or storing. 

Almond Sugar Cookies or what to make when your company is on a food allergy elimination diet

To determine the source of a potential food allergy or intolerance, one of my girlfriends chose to eliminate dairy, gluten, corn and soy from her diet for three weeks. Having dealt with food allergies for over a decade these dietary restrictions were not a problem. In fact, it was the nudge I needed to try the Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookie recipe which appears on Bob'sRed Mill Organic Coconut Flour package.

I discovered coconut flour about 5 years ago when it was listed as an ingredient in a reduced sugar frosting recipe. While I did not have much success with the frosting recipe, I was intrigued by the cookie recipe which appeared on the package of coconut flour.

I needed to substitute the margarine for organic shortening and the soy milk for rice milk to meet my girlfriend's dietary restrictions. Even with the changes, the end result was a nice chewy treat.

Almond Sugar Cookies

1/2 c. Sliced Almonds

1/2 c. Organic Shortening

1/3 c. Unsweetened Rice Milk

3/4 c. White Rice Flour

1/3 c. Organic Coconut Flour

2 Tbsp Potato Starch

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 c. Organic Sugar


Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together sugar and shortening with an electric mixer and beat for two minutes. Add rice milk and beat for an additional minute. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients, except Almonds. Add dry mix to wet ingredients and briefly mix, then add the almonds. Continue mixing until just blended. The batter should have a moist and fluffy consistency. Place by rounded tablespoon on a greased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Apple Pie with Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Flaky Pie Crust

Having had success with a spelt piecrust recipe I found on the Bob's Red Mill website, I attempted to make an Apple Pie using the Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Flaky Pie Crust recipe. This recipe, using kosher salt in lieu of sea salt and organic shortening in lieu of butter became my pie crust recipe for years. However, and as detailed in earlier post, in 2011, I began to have problems with my pie crust. It would break apart when transferring to the pie plate. It would crack and not drape over the filling. It was dry. It had no flavor. “Patchwork” became standard process to top the fruit filling.

Determined to re-gain my mastery of this pie crust recipe and flush with my recent victory with a spelt pie crust, I decided to make an apple pie for my Mom's birthday as this is one of her favorite treats. The bottom crust transferred to the pie plate without issue, the top crust did not break apart while draping over the filling. With the extra crust, I got fancy. 

Apple Pie

From the revised 13^th edition of The Fanny Farmer Cookbook.

2 – 9” pie crusts

¾ – 1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

1 ½ tablespoons flour

6 – 8 large, firm, tart apples (about 10 cups) – Cortland apples recommended

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees farenheit. Line a 9” pie plate with one pie crust. Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Peel, core and slice the apples and toss them into the flour mixture, coating them well.

Pile apples into the lined pan and dot with the butter. Roll out top crust and drape over the pie. Crimp the edges and cut several vents in the top. Bake 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees farenheit and bake 30-40 minutes more or until the apples are tender when pierced with a skewer and the crust is browned.

Bob's Red Mill's Whole Wheat Flaky Pie Crust Recipe: http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes.php?recipe=841

Almond Roco or When you know it's Christmastime around here

You know it's Christmastime around here when the only item coming out of my kitchen is Almond Roco and lots of it. 

I originally received this recipe from my late Godmother when she brought it to a Christmas party. I immediately fell in love with it, asked her for the recipe and have been making it ever since. Due to it's uniqueness, this has become a staple holiday gift for co-workers, teachers, friends, etc. 

 

original copy received from

my Godmother

I realize the recipe title is a misnomer as almonds is not listed as an ingredient. I once heard it called Cracker Candy which is probably a more appropriate description of this delightful combination of butter, sugar, saltines, chocolate and walnuts. If you google “Cracker Candy Recipe” you will find many similar recipes under many names.

Over the years, I have played with the original recipe I received, substituting white chocolate or Hershey's Kisses for the semi-sweet chocolate, substituting shredded coconut for the walnuts or skipping the walnuts altogether. The variations listed under notes/variations at the end of this post are the ones which I have found successful and make annually.

I hope you have as much fun and success making this as I have!

Semi-Sweet Almond Roco

with walnuts

Almond Roco - like Cookies

1 - 1 1/2 sleeves saltines
1 cup or 2 sticks butter plus extra for coating aluminium foil
1 cup sugar
2 cups or 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts  

Place oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminium foil. Butter it. Line it with saltines.  Depending upon the size of the cookie sheet this could be anywhere between 1 - 1 1/2 sleeves of saltines. 

In a 1 quart saucepan, melt 1 cup or 2 sticks butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup sugar and bring mixture to a boil while stirring constantly, about 3-5 minutes.

Pour butter/sugar mixture over saltines and bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle 12 oz. chocolate chips over it.

Let chocolate melt 1 minute and then spread across saltines using back of regular-size spoon.

Sprinkle chopped walnuts over chocolate and cut it immediately using pizza cutter.  Once again, depending upon size of cookie sheet and like/dislike for walnuts, this could be anywhere from 1 - 1 1/2 cups walnuts. 

Place tray in refrigerator to cool. Once cooled, peel off foil, break apart and enjoy.

Notes/variations:

-- Cookie sheet size should be about 15" x 10". One with an edge all around (like a jelly roll pan works best)

-- Use heavy duty aluminium foil. This will make process of peeling off foil easier.

-- Use butter. Margarine or any kind of butter/margarine mix will prevent Roco from solidifying correctly

-- For White Chocolate Roco, substitute 10-12 oz. bag of white chocolate chips for 12 oz. chocolate chips (ghiradelli white chocolate chips or Trader Joe’s white chocolate chips work best)

-- For Milk Chocolate Roco, substitute 11 oz. bag of Hershey Kisses for 12 oz. chocolate chips. This is approximately 72 Hershey Kisses.

Ginger Nut Clusters or Giving Thanks

For the past several Thanksgivings I've received and accepted an invite from maternal cousins to spend Thanksgiving with them. As the holiday name implies, I give thanks for the invite as they live less than 30 minutes from me and with our busy schedules this is one of the few opportunities during the year we get to see each other.

Being epicures who love sweets and being raised to never show up empty-handed when invited as a guest, I wanted to bring something unique they would enjoy and wouldn't spoil after a week: Ginger Nut Clusters.

This recipe came to me via my girlfriend, Sally, who for over the past decade invites friends and family to her house the day before Easter to make candy. As noted in her 2011 blog post, this process has evolved from just peanut brittle to such delights as toffee, buttercreams, Oreo cookie truffle, etc.

Needless to say this was such a huge hit with my cousins that I taught two of them how to make these and have brought them for Thanksgiving and other gatherings hosted by them ever since. I have to say I am grateful to know exactly what to bring and give thanks to Sally for introducing us all to this great recipe!

photo courtesy of Crafts, Cavies and Cooking

Ginger Nut Clusters

This is a 1 ½ batch version of the original recipe. My estimate is this will make 30-50 clusters depending upon how large they are shaped. The version of the recipe I received contained a mixed of weighted measure and unit measure ingredients. As most cooks will use one or the other, I am including both which does make the ingredient list look a bit messy.

9 oz. White Chocolate or one 10 oz. package white chocolate chips (Trader Joe's White Baking Chips recommended)

5 oz. Graham Crackers or 1 sleeve/package of graham crackers

4 oz. cashews or 1 cup cashews

1.5 – 2.0 oz Candied Ginger, chopped or ¼ cup candied ginger, chopped

9 oz. Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate 1 – 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line two 15” x 10” cookie sheet(s) with wax paper or parchment paper.

Break graham crackers into a gallon size ziploc bag. Add cashews and ginger. Mix.

Melt white chocolate either in the microwave on in top of double boiler. If using double boiler, removed melted chocolate from boiler and add graham cracker mixture. Combine until mixture is coated with chocolate. Place teaspoons of mixture on cookie sheet (s). Chill until set, approximately 1-5 hours or overnight.

Melt semi-sweet/dark chocolate either in the microwave on in top of double boiler. Dip top half of clusters into chocolate or use spoon to pour chocolate on top of cluster. Return to cookie Sheet. Chill until set. Serve.