The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [350]
2. Rub the nuts between paper towels to remove loose skins; coarsely chop the nuts.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl; set aside. Put the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. Mix in the eggs in 2 batches, mixing each until just combined. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and apricots by hand.
4. Butter a large baking sheet; set aside. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface; divide in half. With floured hands, shape each half into an 8½ x 2½ x 1-inch log. Place the logs at least 2 inches apart on the buttered baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack; let the logs stand 10 minutes.
5. Transfer the logs to a cutting board. Clean and butter the large baking sheet; set aside. Brush the logs with egg white, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Cut each log crosswise on the diagonal into 12 pieces (each ½ inch thick). Lay flat on the buttered sheet. Bake 7 minutes; turn the pieces. Bake until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool until crisp.
6. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
7. Dip a flat side of 12 biscotti in melted chocolate, arranging the cookies, chocolate side up, on parchment paper as you work. Let stand until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container, keeping the chocolate-dipped ones in a single layer on top, up to 2 days.
MAKING BISCOTTI
For wonderfully crisp biscotti, follow these simple steps:
1. After mixing the dough, use your hands to pat it into a long loaf. Be sure to flatten it in the middle and to keep the ends the same width as the rest.
2. Once the loaf has been baked, let it cool for 15 minutes before cutting into slices. If the loaf is too hot, the slices may crumble; if allowed to sit too long, the loaf will be difficult to slice. Using a serrated knife is the best way to cut cleanly.
3. You do not want the biscotti to become too hard to eat, so watch them closely after about 10 minutes, and take them out of the oven when they are just starting to turn golden around the edges. Let the biscotti cool completely on the baking sheet so they get perfectly crisp and dry, ideal for dunking into espresso or your favorite dessert wine.
cornmeal biscotti with dates and almonds
MAKES ABOUT 24
The biscotti may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups yellow cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure orange extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped almonds
1 teaspoon anise seed
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and mix thoroughly with a whisk or fork; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time until well combined; beat in the orange extract.
3. Add the flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined. Add the orange zest, dates, almonds, and anise seed, and beat until combined.
4. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet; using your hands, pat into a log that is roughly 14 × 3½ inches. Bake until firm, lightly browned, and slightly cracked on top, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the log to a cutting board, leaving the parchment behind on the sheet. Using a serrated knife, cut the log crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange