What’d You Do Last Weekend?

Heading to a party where there will be lots of wine, and not sure what to take? How about some simple savory cookies - biscotti and sables made for wine pairing?

biscotti

Wine Pairing Duo: Stilton Walnut Biscotti and Herbed Sables

Posted by jenny on 03/05/2010

I had a terrific opportunity recently to attend a wine pairing party, and the only requirement the hosts had was for each of us to bring something that could be paired with food. Not wanting to arrive with the same thing as everyone else, I decided to put some of my cookie baking knowledge to the test to devise a savory cookie for the event.

Almond Biscotti

Posted by jenny on 02/28/2010

No cookie book would be complete without an almond biscotti recipe, and this one does the genre justice. Perfect for eating fresh or storing longer term in the freezer, almond biscotti make a solid cookie exchange offering. Rum and almond extract make appearances here too, with lingering tropical results.

A few notes about this recipe:

Rather than use 2 T amaretto, I substituted 2 T Cruzan Blackstrap Rum and 1 tsp almond extract. The blackstrap rum has an even stronger caramel flavor than regular spiced rum.

Chocolate Biscotti

Posted by jenny on 11/22/2009

The chocolate biscotti recipe in Cookies and Brownies is a perfect answer for those folks who aren’t big sweets eaters. The espresso gives the biscotti a grown-up flavor, and cocoa powder, rather than chocolate, means these aren’t as sweet (or sticky) as brownies or cookies.

I tested this biscotti recipe using two different kinds of cocoa powder, and making the appropriate substitutions for baking powder and baking soda (variations are listed in the recipe below). The differences were subtle, and mostly affected the taste of the biscotti.

Martha's Tender Mandelbrot

Posted by jenny on 11/04/2009

I'd never eaten mandelbrot before but as soon as I finished baking them, I realized they were similar to a Greek cookie (paximathia) I grew up eating. This particular recipe is a straightforward almond cookie, low in sugar, perfectly paired with tea or coffee.

This formula calls for Wondra - which I happen to have - but I'm not convinced that product will always be available (and I'm not sure how different the texture would be without it). These cookies are dry but tender, and they do drop a lot of crumbs when you move them around.