Coconut Almond Biscotti

As you may know, I LOVE biscotti.  And over the past few years, I have shared a number of recipes that I have used over and over again for this wonderful treat (see the biscotti recipes on my blog).  I have been wanted to add some more biscotti recipes to my repertoire.  On of the motivating factors for finding this one was an extra bag of coconut that we had in the house after the holidays.  What to make???  Well, I found this great recipe on Cooking Light for coconut biscotti and I want to give it a whirl.  I also had some almond meal in my house (which is essentially ground almonds - and sometimes called almond flour) that I wanted to use.  So using a light recipe, I played with it a bit and I created a new recipe for coconut almond biscotti.  I think because you use so much coconut, that you can really pull back the butter.  I am not sure of the calories here - but I think (emphasis on think) that this is really not that bad.  So if you have to have biscotti - I think this is a potentially low-calorie and somewhat better than your run of the mill biscotti that you will find.  For me, I loved it and it is a keeper for sure!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Flour (plus some for making the cookie log)
1/2 cup Almond meal (or almond flour)
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
3/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tbsp Butter
2 large Eggs
1 cup Flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup Chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°.

2. Add flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in a mixing bowl.

3. Add sugar, vanilla extract, butter and eggs in a large mixing bowl or mixer.  Beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes.

4. Add the flour mixture, coconut and chocolate chips to the sugar mixture.  Mix until well blended (should happen in under a minute.

5. On a floured surface, mold the dough into a log around 15" long and no more than 1" high.  Move to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

6. Bake at 300° for 40 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

7. Cut roll diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.  Stand slices upright on baking sheet with at least 1/2 inch between them.  Bake for 20 minutes and then let them cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Michigan Biscotti

(Adapted from the Barbara Karoff's The best 50 Biscotti Recipes (Bristol Publishing, 1995) & my Cranberry and Orange Biscotti. I have long wanted to make a Michigan Biscotti with cherries - this is my first attempt! They are just fantastic. The have cherries (the fruit most associated with Michigan) along with chocolate and walnuts. Definitely a great treat with a hot cup of tea, hot chocolate or coffee on a cold day.

Ingredients
3 cups All-purpose Flour (plus some for shaping biscotti)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup Sugar (plus some for topping)
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter or Margarine (room temperature)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs
2/3 cup Dried Cherries (cut in half if large)
2/3 cup Walnut pieces (crushed small)
2/3 cup Chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) and set aside.
3. Combine in a mixer or mixing bowl butter or margarine, white sugar and brown sugar until blended. Then add vanilla extract and eggs. Then blend until thoroughly mixed.
4. Slow the mixer and add the cherries, walnuts and chocolate chips (one at a time). Then add the flour & baking powder until blended.
5. You will make two logs from this batter. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet (or grease with butter or a cooking spray) and prepare a place to work on the batter (wax paper with flour will work fine). Form each half of the batter into a log about 3 inches wide and about 3/4" to 1" high. (NOTE: If your hands have flour on them, it will be easier to mold). When you have two logs (do not worry about a bit of flour on them), lightly sprinkle the tops with sugar.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (test with a toothpick that it comes out clean). Let cool on the baking sheet for about twenty minutes (leaving the oven on).
7. Using a spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife (electric knives work great), cut on the diagonal into 3/4" slices (be as consistent as possible). Cutting on a diagonal gives you longer pieces. Place sliced pieces back onto the cookie sheet with a small gap between the cut slices (this will allow the biscotti to be baked again on the sides). Put back in the oven for 20 minutes.

Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Corey’s Chocolate & Almond Biscotti

(Adapted from the Williams Sonoma Kitchen Library Recipe -- Kidd, Kristine. Cookies and Biscotti. Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library, 1994. p20.)

These is my best biscotti recipe - these come out great everytime!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus some for topping)
1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine (room temperature)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed firmly)
1/2 cup sugar (plus some for topping)
2 tablespoons instant coffee
2 eggs
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Directions

Preheat over to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt) and set aside.

Combine in a mixer or mixing bowl butter or margarine, brown sugar, sugar and instant coffee. Mix on medium (then high) until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). Mix in the eggs, one at a time and wait a few seconds between each one. When the batter is fluffy (you will know), lower the speed on the mixer and add the almonds and chocolate chips. Then add the dry ingredients slowly until blended and stop mixing when the ingredients are all together in the batter.

You will make two logs from this batter. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet (or grease with butter or a cooking spray) and prepare a place to work on the batter (wax paper with flour will work fine). Form each half of the batter into a log about 3 inches wide and about 3/4" to 1" high. (NOTE: If your hands have flour on them, it will be easier to mold). When you have two logs (do not worry about a bit of flour on them), lightly sprinkle the tops with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 325 for 35 minutes (test with a toothpick that it comes out clean).

Let cool on the baking sheet for about ten minutes (leaving the oven on).

Using a spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife (bread knives work well), cut on the diagonal into 1/2" slices (be as consistent as possible). Cutting on a diagonal gives you longer pieces. Place sliced pieces back onto the cookie sheet with a small gap between the cut slices (this will allow the biscotti to be baked again on the sides). Put back in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Cranberry and Orange Biscotti

(Adapted from the Barbara Karoff's The best 50 Biscotti Recipes (Bristol Publishing, 1995). Loved the way this came out.

Ingredients
3 cups All-purpose Flour (plus some for shaping biscotti)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup Sugar (plus some for topping)
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter or Margarine (room temperature)
1 tsp Orange Extract
2-3 tbsp Grated Orange Rind (around one large orange)
3 Large Eggs
1 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
3/4 cup Sliced Almonds

Directions
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) and set aside.
3. Combine in a mixer or mixing bowl butter or margarine and sugar until blended. Then add orange extract, orange rind, and eggs. Then blend until thoroughly mixed.
4. Slow the mixer and add the flour/baking powder mix slowly until blended. Then add cranberries and almonds.
5. You will make two logs from this batter. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet (or grease with butter or a cooking spray) and prepare a place to work on the batter (wax paper with flour will work fine). Form each half of the batter into a log about 3 inches wide and about 3/4" to 1" high. (NOTE: If your hands have flour on them, it will be easier to mold). When you have two logs (do not worry about a bit of flour on them), lightly sprinkle the tops with sugar.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (test with a toothpick that it comes out clean). Let cool on the baking sheet for about twenty minutes (leaving the oven on).
7. Using a spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife (electric knives work great), cut on the diagonal into 3/4" slices (be as consistent as possible). Cutting on a diagonal gives you longer pieces. Place sliced pieces back onto the cookie sheet with a small gap between the cut slices (this will allow the biscotti to be baked again on the sides). Put back in the oven for 20 minutes.

Store in an airtight container and enjoy!