Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (300 page)
You can melt about 6 ounces of chopped semisweet chocolate over simmering water or use any glaze of your choice. Rewarm chocolate to restore its fluidity. Lay the cookies on parchment paper to set.
A.
Cigarette shapes or flat cookies may be dipped halfway into glaze.
B.
Flat cookies may be painted with pastry brush or spoon, or you may dip bottom into glaze.
C.
Another option for flat cookies is to place them on sheet of waxed paper, and then drizzle chocolate over them with pastry bag.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
In search of a crunchy—but not tooth-cracking—biscuit full of flavor, we found that the type and quantity of fat dramatically affected the taste, texture, and shelf life of the biscotti. The good news? The most flavorful biscotti are made with a small amount of fat; our favorite combination of ingredients included whole eggs with no additional yolks or butter. We also found that biscotti recipes made with whole eggs got even better with time; they tasted great and remained very crisp after a week and, when stored in an airtight container, they kept for up to a month.
MAKES ABOUT 48 BISCOTTI
A Sicilian specialty, this recipe produces a relatively hard biscuit—perfect with an afternoon cup of coffee. Alternatively, you can substitute ¹⁄
2
cup sesame seeds for the anise seeds. Brush the top of each loaf of dough with an egg wash and sprinkle with additional sesame seeds.
2 | cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour |
1 | teaspoon baking powder |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
1 | cup (7 ounces) sugar |
2 | large eggs |
1 | tablespoon grated lemon zest |
1 | tablespoon anise seeds |
¹⁄ | teaspoon vanilla extract |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.
2.
Whisk sugar and eggs in large bowl to light lemon color; stir in lemon zest, anise seeds, and vanilla. Mix flour mixture into egg mixture until combined and dough forms.
3.
Halve dough and turn each portion onto prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, quickly stretch each portion of dough into rough 13 by 2-inch loaf, placing them about 3 inches apart. Pat each loaf to smooth it. Bake, until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.
4.
Let loaves cool for 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cut each loaf diagonally into ³⁄
8
-inch slices with serrated knife. Lay slices cut side up about ¹⁄
2
inch apart on baking sheet and return them to oven. Bake until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes, turning over each cookie halfway through baking. Immediately transfer biscotti from baking sheet to wire rack and let cool completely.
MAKES ABOUT 48 BISCOTTI
Based on the flavors of a popular Provençal ice cream, these honey-lavender biscotti are best made with an assertive honey, such as a spicy clover honey. Dried lavender blossoms, also an ingredient in herbes de Provence, can be found in spice or herbal stores. If you can’t find the lavender blossoms, this recipe makes very good honey biscotti.
2¹⁄ | cups (11¹⁄ |
1 | teaspoon baking powder |
¹⁄ | teaspoon baking soda |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
²⁄ | cup sugar |
3 | large eggs |
3 | tablespoons honey |
2 | tablespoons grated orange zest |
1 | tablespoon dried lavender blossoms (optional) |
¹⁄ | teaspoon vanilla extract |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in small bowl.
2.
Whisk sugar and eggs in large bowl to light lemon color; stir in honey, orange zest, lavender, if using, and vanilla. Mix flour mixture into egg mixture until combined and dough forms.
3.
Halve dough and turn each portion onto prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, quickly stretch each portion of dough into rough 13 by 2-inch loaf, placing them about 3 inches apart. Pat each loaf to smooth it. Bake, until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.
4.
Let loaves cool for 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cut each loaf diagonally into ³⁄
8
-inch slices with serrated knife. Lay slices cut side up about ¹⁄
2
inch apart on baking sheet and return them to oven. Bake until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes, turning over each cookie halfway through baking. Immediately transfer biscotti from baking sheet to wire rack and let cool completely.
MAKES ABOUT 48 BISCOTTI
If desired, substitute 3 whole eggs for the 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks in this recipe.
2¹⁄ | cups (11¹⁄ |
1 | teaspoon baking powder |
¹⁄ | teaspoon baking soda |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground cloves |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground ginger |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground white pepper |
1 | cup (7 ounces) sugar |
2 | large eggs plus 2 large yolks |
¹⁄ | teaspoon vanilla extract |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and white pepper together in small bowl.
2.
Whisk sugar, eggs, and egg yolks in large bowl until light lemon color; stir in vanilla. Mix flour mixture into egg mixture until combined and dough forms.
3.
Halve dough and turn each portion onto prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, quickly stretch each portion of dough into rough 13 by 2-inch loaf, placing them about 3 inches apart. Pat each loaf to smooth it. Bake, until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.
4.
Let loaves cool for 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cut each loaf diagonally into ³⁄
8
-inch slices with serrated knife. Lay slices cut side up about ¹⁄
2
inch apart on baking sheet and return them to oven. Bake until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes, turning over each cookie halfway through baking. Immediately transfer biscotti from baking sheet to wire rack and let cool completely.
MAKES 48 BISCOTTI
The addition of a small amount of butter produces a richer, more cookielike texture. Toasted, skinned hazelnuts or a combination of hazelnuts and almonds also works well, too.
2 | cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour |
1 | teaspoon baking powder |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
4 | tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
1 | cup (7 ounces) sugar |
2 | large eggs |
³⁄ | cup whole almonds with skins, toasted, cooled, and chopped coarse |
2 | tablespoons grated orange zest |
¹⁄ | teaspoon vanilla extract |
¹⁄ | teaspoon almond extract |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.
2.
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time, then add almonds, orange zest, vanilla, and almond extract until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
3.
Halve dough and turn each portion onto prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, quickly stretch each portion of dough into rough 13 by 2-inch loaf, placing them about 3 inches apart. Pat each loaf to smooth it. Bake, until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.
4.
Let loaves cool for 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cut each loaf diagonally into ³⁄
8
-inch slices with serrated knife. Lay slices cut side up about ¹⁄
2
inch apart on baking sheet and return them to oven. Bake until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes, turning over each cookie halfway through baking. Immediately transfer biscotti from baking sheet to wire rack and let cool completely.