Peanut Butter Biscotti

Have I told you this one? That earlier this year, we crossed our 10,000th recipe professionally developed? And I'm talking about the ones for pay. You get to see a lot of the ones Bruce makes up on the fly right here on this blog.

Needless to say, I can't remember them all. Sometimes, someone will say, "Oh, I made your. . . ." My eyes glaze over. Because I'm scared I won't remember. And so will look like an idiot. Instead of looking like an overworked food writer. Which is much the same thing.

But some recipes I remember well. Like these biscotti. I've been meaning to get back to this recipe for years.

When we were writing our peanut butter tome--yes, we have a whole book on peanut butter which you can see here--I wanted to come up with biscotti in which peanut butter replaces any other fat (except for the fat in the eggs). You understand, when I say "I wanted to come up with biscotti," I mean that I wanted Bruce to come up with biscotti. Hey, somebody has to be the idea man. It's a tough job. Especially for an overworked food writer who often looks like an idiot.

This recipe is the result. I finally got back to it a couple of weeks ago to take to a dinner party as a house gift--and it was like meeting an old friend. Peanut butter, dried fruit (like the jelly in a PB&J), lots and lots of crunch. I DID have a pretty good idea. You might like these, too, especially for the holidays.

So let's get to it.

First, position two baking racks so they split the oven into thirds (one at the top third and one at the bottom third). Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line two large lipped baking sheets with silicone baking mats or sheets of parchment paper.

Whisk 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (195 grams) all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup (60 grams) diced dried fruit. I used dried cranberries. But think PB&J. What flavor would you like? Dried apricots? White raisins? Dried blueberries? Just make sure it's all in small pieces.

Next, use an electric mixer to beat 3/4 cup (190 grams) crunchy standard peanut butter, 3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar (preferably turbinado sugar), 2 large eggs, and 1 large egg yolk in a big bowl until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the inside of the bowl now and again.

Crunchy peanut butter. Yep, I'm a guy. I like crunchy. You know guys like crunchy peanut butter by an overwhelming majority. But you can use creamy here. You might need to increase a little flour in the dough when you roll it into logs if you see it's sticking. There's slightly more peanut butter in creamy peanut butter than in crunchy.

[For more from Bruce about the peanut butter used in this recipe, see the comments below.]

Turn off those electric beaters and add the flour mixture. Beat at very low speed just until a dough forms, a dough without any white streaks. Gather this into a ball and turn it out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough in half.

Lightly flour half the dough and roll it under your palms into a log about 10 inches long (25 cm) and about 1 1/2 inches thick (3 1/2 cm). Do the same with the other log. Then place them both on one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing the logs apart.

Bake in the upper third of the oven for 30 minutes, until somewhat dried and a bit cracked.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce the oven temperature to 275F (135C).

Transfer the logs to a cutting board and slice them with a serrated knife into 1/2-inch wide cookies (about 1 cm wide). I find it's best to cut these on the diagonal to make the longest cookies. Fill the baking sheets with them, laying them cut side down and spacing them an inch apart in three rows.

Put one baking sheet on the top oven rack and one on the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheets and turn the biscotti over to the other cut side.

Swap the sheets on the rack (bottom rung on top!) and continue baking until crunchy and lightly browned, about 20 more minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes, then remove the biscotti from the baking sheets and cool to room temperature. The biscotti can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If they get soggy because of ambient humidity, rebake them in a 275F (135 C) oven for 10 minutes or until crunchy.

And dunk them in red wine. When it happens, you'll know.

Comments

[TSA]

I'm so excited to try this....I eat peanut butter pretty much every day. Sometimes a whole sandwich, sometimes I just scoop out a spoon. Like the guys, it must be CRUNCHY!

Anyway, I had a question about the consistency of the peanut butter itself. I use a Trader Joe's brand and there is a significant amount of separation of the oil. When I mix it together it is still pretty runny. Will the flour take care of that? If I find it's not "doughy" enough should I add more flour?

Thanks a bunch!

[Mark Scarbrough]

Trish: The oil can be a problem---which is why a more standard peanut butter works better. Bruce can weigh in on what he thinks works best. But you might have to add a little extra flour, depending on the overall viscosity. And you might also have to add a little more sugar, if the peanut butter you buy isn't presweetened.

Mark

[bruce weinstein]

FROM BRUCE

Okay, here's the thing. "Un-natural" peanut butter (as opposed to the natural kind with only peanuts and salt) isn't necessarily a bad thing. I found a jar of Jif with the following ingredients: ROASTED PEANUTS, SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: PALM OIL, SALT, MOLASSES.

Sugar, yeah, well, you don't really need it in peanut butter; but in my opinion, it's there more for a smoother texture than for sweetness. In cooking, sugar acts like a liquid, so it makes for a creamier peanut butter. The palm oil adds no flavor and thankfully no cholesterol since it's from a plant, but it does add calories. It also helps with texture. I developed the biscotti recipe with this mainstream variety of peanut butter because of the texture it gives the dough.

If you prefer to use a "natural style" peanut butter just know that your dough will not have the same soft texture as this one; your biscotti might be a bit heavier or coarser.

I don't think the oil separating out will be a problem once you add the flour; but sure, if it feels too sticky, add flour in 1 tbs increments. Just read the peanut butter's label. Make sure the brand you buy has sugar and not corn syrup. And make sure it has oil, not hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats.

[TSA]

Thanks for the detailed post guys! Jif was actually my FAVORITE brand before I opted for a more "natural" kind. This is the perfect excuse for me to pick up a jar. Loving these biscottis all the more already!

[Maris (In Good Taste)]

I love these! I am not a big chocolate/peanut butter combo lover but I would have totally made these to hand out as holiday gifts if I'd seen them sooner. Happy holidays!