Orange Rosemary Biscotti
You probably could have figured this out, but I'm not much of a soft and gooey person. (No, we're not talking about the marks of a personality!) I'm the guy picking off the crunchy bits at the edge of a casserole. I'm the one who orders his fries extra-extra-extra crisp. And I'm the one who can keep a whole bag of toffee for months on end but will eat every potato chip in the house for no other reason than that they're there. (It's why there's rarely any potato chips around here!)
For all these reasons, biscotti are about the best cookies for me. But here's the conundrum: I like to dunk them. Yet I still want them still crunchy, even after they take a dive. That means they have to be very crisp. Tooth-breakingly so. Because I want to souse one or two in the last of my red wine after dinner. Or in a cup of tea mid-afternoon. And still get a crunch!
Bruce's orange rosemary biscotti are gorgeously crunchy but also delicately aromatic. A perfect treat. Plus, they freeze exceptionally well. What could be better?
First, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Then toast 2/3 cup sliced almonds in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Move them around occasionally so that they get nicely golden and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Next, beat 3 large eggs, 2 tablespoons brandy, 1 tablespoon minced rosemary leaves, and 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy and light. You can't overbeat a batter at this stage, so make sure the eggs have incorporated a bit of air before proceeding.
Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat this at low speed until crumbly and moist. Then scrape down and remove the beaters before stirring in the toasted almonds with a spoon. The batter will already be quite stiff. Just wait.
Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour, then gather the dough into a ball and turn it out onto that prepared work surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and the almonds are evenly distributed throughout, about 2 minutes.
Divide the dough into two equal parts, then roll each of these under your palms into a 12-inch log. Keep the ends from tapering--you want blunt logs so that the cookies will eventually be even.
Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart.
Bake until firm, lightly browned, and a little puffed, about 25 minutes. The logs should also have begun to crack a bit. They're quite fragile--so don't disturb them. Instead, remove the sheets from the oven and cool the logs on them for 30 minutes. Maintain the oven's temperature.
Transfer the logs to a cutting board and use a sharp, serrated knife to cut them into 1/2-inch thick slices. Bruce always cuts them slightly on the diagonal so they're a little longer than the width of the log itself. Place these cut side down on the baking sheet and continue baking for 5 minutes. Then turn them all over onto the other cut side and bake another 5 minutes. Finally, stand them up and bake them yet another 5 minutes. Now they're crunchy!
Leave them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to cool, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature (about 1 hour) before sealing in a plastic bag on the counter for up to 1 week or in the freezer for at least 3 months. If you want to crunch them up after they thaw from the freezer, put them on a baking sheet and set them in a preheated 325F oven for 5 minutes or so.
Mark Scarbrough | Posted on Friday, April 16, 2010 at 9:03AM | in Cookies, Desserts, Fabulously Empty Calories
Reader Comments (6)
Hmmm....I need one RIGHT NOW with my morning coffee...could you please drop some over? :)
I'd send them in a second. In fact, they're so hard that they just might make the trip across the water.
M.
now this is right up my alley! i love the flavors, i love the crunch, i love that it's not polluted by anise, which i can't suffer, and i especially like that they freeze well. it's great to have something like this on hand!
Polluted by anise??????
Well, I guess I won't be offering you a Pastis at my house.
M.
I'm with you on crunchy. I like a high ratio of crunchy to gooey in, say, mac and cheese (by the way, I made the mac and cheese from Ham the other day and I'm still swooning, especially since I made it in little individual gratin dishes for maximum burnt cheese.) Also, herbs in sweets = an underrepresented but winning combination.
"Maximum burnt cheese." That's music to my heart, Andrea.
M.