ALMOND CHERRY BISCOTTI

Some contexts on biscotti  excerpted from Wikipedia :-

Biscotti ( /bɪˈskɒti/; Italian pronunciation: [bisˈkɔtti]) more correctly known as biscotti di Prato (English: Prato biscuits), also known as cantuccini (English:nooks), are twice-baked biscuits originating in thBiscotti" is the plural form of biscotto. The name biscotti is derived from 'bis' meaning twice in Italian and 'cotto' meaning baked or cooked.

The word originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning "twice-cooked/baked." It defined oven baked goods that were baked twice, so they were very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Pliny the Elder boasted that such goods would be edible for centuries. Such nonperishable food was particularly useful during journeys and wars, and twice baked breads were a staple food of the Roman Legions.^[1]e Italian city of Prato. 

The biscuits are oblong-shaped almond biscuits, made dry and 

crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still hot and fresh from baking in the oven.

You can get these from STARBUCK....other then that I don't quite know where, hardly find these in any bakeries. However these awesome  biscuits are easy to make and unique about biscotti you have to bake it twice. The sticky dough is first shaped into a log shape and baked until firm. After a short cooling period, the log is sliced into diagonal slices and baked again to draw out the moisture thus producing a crisp, dry textured cookie that has a long shelf life. Recipes containing butter or oil will have a softer texture and will not keep as long as the traditional recipes that only use eggs to bind the ingredients together.

I've made an entry on this before...that was my first Orange Almond Biscotti. Love it so much especially over a cup of cappucino. You can make it in advance and store in airtight jar.

They are frequently found iced with melted chocolate or other frosting, and topped with nuts and even colored sprinkles. Again you can add in anything you like but the preferences would be nuts or dried fruits.

This cherry biscotti that I made here was adapted from Martha Stewart with a little tweak to my preferences. Try this it's delicious and you can even packed as a gift..it's lasting...and not that fragile.

1 3/4 cups dried cherries / 1 3/4  cawan ceri kering saya belah dua

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface / 3 cawan tepung

2 teaspoons baking powder / 2 sdt baking powder

1/2 teaspoon  salt / 1/2 sdt garam

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature /4 sdb mentega

1 cup granulated sugar /1 cawan gula

4 large eggs (3 whole, 1 lightly beaten) / 4 biji telur (3 untuk masuk dalam adunan 1 biji lagi untuk sapuan atas)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract / 2 sdt vanila

3/4 cup whole blanched almonds, chopped / 3/4 cawan badam - aya guna badam siap panggang dikedai masukkan sebiji-biji

3 tablespoons coarse sanding sugar / 3 sdb besar gula kasar

PREPARATIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. / Panaskan oven pada 325 F

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. / Satukan semua bahan kering. Pukul mentega dan gula sehingga kembang

Mix in 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Mix in reserved cherry liquid and the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in cherries and almonds. / Masukkan telur sebiji demi sebiji, masukkan cherry, badam dan vanilla. Perlahankan mixer dan perlahan-lahan masukkan bahan kering

On a lightly floured surface, halve dough. Shape each half into a 12 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch log. Flatten logs to 1/2 inch thick. / Bahagikan dough kepada dua bahagian dan bentukan melonjong 12 1/2 x 2 1/2 panjang

Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Brush logs with beaten egg; sprinkle with the sanding sugar. / Alihkan ke dulang pembakar yang dialas dengan kertas, Sapukan adunan dengan telur dan taburkan sedikit gula.

Bake 35 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks to cool, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. / Bakar selama 35 minutes. Angkat dan sejukkan selama 20 minit. Perlahan suhu oven kepada 300 F

Cut each log on the diagonal into 16 to 18 pieces. Transfer pieces to racks, laying them on sides. Set racks on baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes; flip. Bake 8 minutes more. Let cool until crisp. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. / Potong menyerong untuk mendapatkan 16-18 keping. Susun semula kedalam dulang pembakar dan bakar semula selama lagi 8 minit. Sejukkan sehingga biskut menjadi lebih ranggup. 

Cook's Note - If you want to see the step by step process click here Almond Orang Biscotti

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Resipi biscotti ini saya ambil dari dapur Martha Stewart...resipi asal ceri direndam dengan minuman keras, jadi saya tolak itu ubah sedikit ikut cara kita. Biscotti ini memang sajian favourite minuman petang biasanya kalau ada English Tea Party atau apa-apa function. Senang dibuatnya dan boleh buat awal dan simpan dalam cookie jar.

Menariknya biscotti ini ia dibakar dua kali...begitulah namanya biscotii yang bermaksud dibkar dua kali. Mula-mula dibakar selama 30 minit sehingga adunan agak keras, dikeluarkan dari oven disejukkan dahulu selama 20 minit kemudian dihiris menyerong. Selepas itu dibakar semula selama lagi 8 minit. Memang sedap biscotti..dan biasanya dicalitkan sedikit dengan cokolat hitam atau cokolat putih...paling top cicah pula dengan cappucino.

Next Post - Cherry Clafouti

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