Chocolate Orange Almond Biscotti

Servings – 30 cookies

Ingredients

1 ¼ C Whole Almonds, lightly toasted

1 ¾ C (8 3/4 ounces) All-Purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Salt

2 Large Eggs, + 1 Large White Beaten With Pinch Salt

1 C (7 ounces) Sugar

4 TBS Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled

1 ½ tsp Almond Extract

½ tsp Vanilla Extract

½ TBS Cocoa Powder

Grated Rind of 1 Orange

Vegetable oil spray

 

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a cookie sheet and lightly bake for 4 minutes.

2.    Adjust oven rack to middle position and reduce oven heat to 325 degrees. Using ruler and pencil, draw two 8 by 3-inch rectangles, spaced 4 inches apart, on piece of parchment paper. Grease baking sheet and place parchment on it, ink side down.

3.    Pulse 1 cup almonds in food processor until coarsely chopped, 8 to 10 pulses; transfer to bowl and set aside. Process 1/4 cup almonds in food processor until finely ground, about 45 seconds. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; process to combine, about 15 seconds. Transfer flour mixture to second bowl.

4.    Process 2 eggs in now empty food processor until lightened in color and almost doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. With processor running, slowly add sugar until thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Add melted butter, almond extract, vanilla, cocoa, and ornage peel and process until combined, about 10 seconds. Transfer egg mixture to medium bowl. Sprinkle half of flour mixture over egg mixture and, using spatula, gently fold until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture, chopped almonds and gently fold until just combined.

5.    Divide batter in half. Using floured hands, form each half into 8 by 3-inch rectangle, using lines on parchment as guide. Spray each loaf lightly with oil spray. Using rubber spatula lightly coated with oil spray, smooth tops and sides of rectangles. Gently brush tops of loaves with egg white wash. Bake until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

6.    Let loaves cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes. Transfer loaves to cutting board. Using serrated knife, slice each loaf on slight bias into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay slices, cut side down, about 1/4 inch apart on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 35 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. Let cool completely before serving. Biscotti can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 month or 2 months in the freezer.

Copyright 2021 Nicholas Verna, All rights reserved

Cannoli Cookies

Servings – 36 cookies

Ingredients

½ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 C Granulated Sugar

2 Large Eggs

½ C Ricotta Cheese

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

¾ tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Fresh Orange Zest

1 tsp baking Powder

½ tsp Baking Soda

½ tsp Table Salt

2 C (10oz) All-Purpose Flour

1 C Mini Chocolate Chips

1 C Toasted Hazelnuts, chopped fine (see Note) «

For the ganache coating

3 oz Dark Chocolate, melted

1 Tbs Butter

½ C Toasted Hazelnuts, chopped fine (optional)

 

Directions

1.    In a large mixing bowl, mix the olive oil and sugar together using an electric mixer until combined. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, then the ricotta cheese until well combined. Mix in the vanilla extract, cinnamon and fresh orange zest.

2.    In a second bowl add the baking powder, baking soda and flour and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and the toasted chopped hazelnuts. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.

3.    Preheat your oven to 375° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper of lightly grease. Using a 1.3 tablespoon #50 cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon, drop the cookie dough on the cookie sheet leaving about 2 inches between. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

4.    Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Mix in 1 tablespoon of butter until completely incorporated. Immediately start to apply the ganache to the cookies by dipping one half of the cookie into the chocolate mixture the press them into the optional toasted hazelnuts. Place on a piece of waxed paper or parchment to dry.

Note: To toast the hazelnuts, place them on a baking sheet in a preheated 350F oven for 5 minutes. Let them cool completely before you chop them.

« Pistachios can be substituted for the hazelnuts.

To print out a copy of this recipe go to Cannoli Cookies

Thin Style “OO” Pizza Dough

 This pizza dough is easy to mix in a food processor in under 30 seconds. It produces a thin, easy to roll out, dough that bakes up extra crispy and the dough freezes well. The “00” flour gives you a very tender crust that is full of flavor. The critical step is letting it rise overnight in the refrigerator.

Makes 3 14” pies

Ingredients:

1 lb. 9 ounces “00” flour, plus more for dusting (700g; about 5 cups)

1 ½ TBS Sugar (1/2 ounce; 15g)

1 TBS kosher salt (10g; .35 ounces)

2 tsp Active Dry Yeast (10g; .35 ounces)

3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil (32g; 1 1/8 ounces)

13 ounces Lukewarm Water ~ 105°F

Directions

Combine “00” flour (do not substitute all-purpose flour*), sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated. Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer or knead on a floured board.

Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. It should pass the windowpane test. Divide dough into three even parts and place each in a covered quart-sized deli container or in a zipper-lock freezer bag. Place in refrigerator and allow to rise at least 1 day, and up to 5. Remove from refrigerator, shape into balls, and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before baking.

Place a pizza steel/stone in the oven and preheat oven to 500°F for 1 hour to insure a crispy crust.

 Add your favorite pizza sauce, cheese and toppings and cook for 7-9 minutes until the bottom of the crust is a golden brown.

* Note: The “00” flour comes from Italy and has a different density and protein content than all-purpose flour. Do not substitute all-purpose flour for this recipe. It’s available in Italian markets, some mega-marts and online.

Freezing: This dough freezes very well. Place the divided dough into zippered bags and proof them for 24 hours in the refrigerator then place them in the freezer. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out.

To print this recipe go to Thin Style "00" Pizza Dough

Copyright 2021 Nicholas Verna. All Rights Reserved. No part of this recipe may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without written permission from the author.