TWD: Cantuccini

Tuesdays with Dorie baking through Baking with Julia
by Dorie Greenspan
Contributing Baker: Nick Malgieri

Cantuccini, cantucci, biscotti - whatever you want to call them, they are basically the same; a twice baked (almost rock-hard) cookie/biscuit. These are meant to be dipped in vin santo, coffee, or tea. I'm sure milk or hot chocolate would be just as good to dip into as well. At the risk of possibly cracking a tooth, you will want to dip...

This was one easy peasy recipe! And to think I almost passed on this one. No long chilling times or rest periods, or fancy equipment needed - just a bowl or two, a cookie sheet, and a serrated knife; and clean-up was almost non-existent!

My original plan was to halve the recipe. I did not want to have a hundred cookies (the recipe makes eight dozen!) laying around that I may be disappointed with; we made hazelnut biscotti in July 2012, and I was not all that impressed with them.

I ended up making only a third of the recipe, which yielded 18 cookies (I cut mine closer to a 1/2-inch thick, rather than the 1/4-inch thick as instructed); for when I went to the refrigerator to grab the eggs, I discovered I had only one egg. How could that be?

I guess it was meant to be - who needs that many cookies in the house, when you end up liking them.

Do make sure to visit the blogs of my fellow bakers to see their results with this recipe. I'm sure there will be a few different variations, as there usually is. You can click here to be directed to the list of their links on the TWD LYL: Cantuccini post.

Should you like to try your hand at making these, you will find the recipe on page 313 of Baking with Julia, or on Nick Malgieri's (the contributor of this recipe) website. (I did notice that the recipe on Nick's website uses a half teaspoon less of baking powder, than is called for in the book.)

TWD: Hazelnut Biscotti

Baking thru Baking With Julia
by Dorie Greenspan
Recipe contributed by Alice Medrich


            Hazelnut Biscotti and Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti


I know, I know... TWD bakers are thinking what negative comment does she have this week? Well I really, really, wanted to say these were GREAT! Does it count if I really, really, liked the dough?

And to mention the fact that I love Alice Medrich. I have made several of her recipes from my first ever baking cookbook, given to me by my wonderful husband over 20+ years ago, Cocolat, with fabulous results.

I mentioned in my last TWD post that I would give a few more recipes from this book a try. We still have two more to go this month and I have high hopes, for I know I'm going to like the Blueberry Nectarine Pie - how can you not? That's the third and last recipe for this month and three times is a charm, yes?

I would not say that I am a big fan of the biscotto in general, but I will have it on occasion and I have liked it in the past - especially crumbled on top of poached pears - yummm.

I divided the recipe in two to make half as written and the other half chocolate flavored. The one thing with baking, it's a science; a subject I have to admit I was/am not interested in. If I only knew...

To change the recipe to make the chocolate flavor it depends on several factors which you can read about here. The type of cocoa (natural vs Dutch process) you use makes a difference, along with adjusting the amount of flour, sugar, and liquid. Also depending on the type of cocoa as to whether you use baking soda and/or baking powder. Too confusing for me. I just went on the advice of a fellow baker's "guess" and replaced the flour with cocoa 2-1 ratio (2 cocoa/1 flour). I also added some instant espresso (in place of the liqueur) hoping to bring out the chocolate flavor and added extra water, for I read that cocoa powder acts like a sponge.

Did you know that biscotti is the plural form of biscotto? Not I.

Again a BWJ recipe failed to impress. The flavor quotient is just not there in these recipes. Why? The recipes are not all from one pastry chef; recipes are contributed from several bakers. Maybe the reason is what a fellow blogger commented on one of my posts; maybe our tastes have changed over time. This book was written back in 1996 and I have noticed that one of my favorite pastry chefs has updated her recipes on-line from her books to reflect our tastes today.

On to the next recipe! Keeping my fingers crossed.

Success meter (1-3): 1

I skinned my hazelnuts the old fashioned way and saved

time and clean-up in the process. She has you boil them

(which I am reading is quite messy) to remove the skins,

then roast them. May as well just roast them and rub them

in a towel to remove the skins.

I split the recipe in two.

On the left: ingredients for chocolate hazelnut biscotti

On the right: ingredients for hazelnut biscotti

After the first baking.

Biscotti are a twice-baked cookie.

Ready for the second baking.

Ingenious idea to bake them on a rack.

No need to turn them over half-way

thru the baking time.

Our hosts for this week are Jodi of Homemade and Wholesome and Katrina of Baking and Boys, you can find the recipe on their blogs.

To see other Tuesdays with Dorie baker's results and spins on the recipe, you can find their links here.