11 December 2013
Welcome friends. Several years ago some friends had a destination wedding in Florence. It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget. This shot is from that trip and it seemed like a great starting image for this food journey. When I saw this photo, I started thinking about the memories I have around food and how food can nourish the body and the soul. Cooking is a creative outlet for me and I enjoy both the preparation and the meal.
About a year ago, I went to a party and was talking to a former co-worker. I had just decided to create this site, at that point, and was nervous about the time commitment (not to mention worried that no one would read it). I often experiment with recipes and take things into work to get my co-workers opinions. She had eaten some of the things that I brought to work. She looked at me and said something like--I remember everything you ever made. That was quite a morale boost!
I have to admit that when I make something really tasty, I want to share it with friends. I think food can be memorable and everyone wants solid recipes that they can make and share with family and friends. I hope this site provides you with information and inspiration.
I decided to start with a biscotti recipe. While these cookies may have a long shelf-life, if you are like me, they won’t last more than a week or two. I also wanted to post this recipe because a lot of people have asked me for my biscotti recipe.
I start making these in the fall. I also make plenty to give as gifts over the holidays. I have some relatives who would be very disappointed if I showed up without them. I like to think of baking as a zen ritual. You follow the steps in the specified order and pay attention to the details. If you do this, you will get good baking results. I always tell people this--baking is in the details.
Biscotti with Dried Cherries
40 min. prep time | 30 min. bake time | 30 min. cool time | 15 min. bake time
Ingredients
makes about 24 cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 orange (for zest)
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Directions
prep work place the eggs and butter in a bowl. Rinse the orange and add it to the bowl. Leave these out over night to ensure that they are at room temperature when you are ready to make the cookies.
preheat the oven to 325° F.
stir the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to combine; set aside.
beat the butter and sugar using a mixer with a paddle attachment, if you have one, until they are light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. When you are finished adding the eggs, beat the batter at medium speed for about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer off and use a microplane to grate the orange zest over the batter and then add the vanilla extract. Mix for about a minute at low speed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and scrape the batter and zest off the paddle. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to come together. Add the dried cherries and chocolate chips. Stir just until they are incorporated. The dough will be chunky.
spoon about half of the dough on a long piece of plastic wrap to form a log. Gather the long sides of the plastic around the dough and press the dough together. Roll it over on its side and massage it gently a few times. Repeat on the other side and bottom. With the plastic fold on top, press to form a log about 3 inches wide. Pull the plastic back from the top of the log and roll it out of the plastic and onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Make another log with the rest of the dough, and place it on a second parchment lined baking sheet. The logs spread out as they bake, so it is better to have them on separate baking sheets. Bake the logs until light golden, about 30 to 35 minutes.
allow the logs to cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheets. Do not remove them before they have cooled or they may crack or break. Once the logs have cooled, lift one off of the baking sheet by picking up the parchment paper. Slide it onto a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, gently slice the log at an angle into pieces about 1 inch wide. Lift the slices, on the side of the knife blade, back onto the lined baking sheets. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes at 325° F. Cool the cookies on a wire rack, and once cool, store them in ziplock bags.