12 Days of Cookies - Day 3 - Gingerbread Biscotti - Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

It is Food Blogger Cookie Swap post time!   I love this cookie swap.  This is the second year Lindsay and Julie have organized this and it is so cool.  I can't imagine the amount of work they put into this matching everyone up but I am so glad they do.   Last year I met some great bloggers through it and this year is the same.   It is a great way to find new bloggers with out having to do any hard work to find them they are literally brought to your doorstep through cookies.

I received the following cookies this year.

Chocolate Gingerbread from Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar.  These cookies were excellent and arrived at the perfect time, just a few days after Samantha was born and ready for all her visitors.

Oatmeal Cookies from Kim @ Strawberry Ginger.   These cute little cookies reminded me of Dad's Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies.  Crunchy and nutty.  I ate three upon arrival.  Ooops.:-)

Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies from Lindsey @ A Running Tale.  They arrived right after my workout and I ate one right away.  Great with the chocolate chunks.

I went back and forth on which cookie recipe I wanted to send out as I was mostly thinking I wanted to send out a shortbread recipe.  While I was just looking for recipes for my other 12 days of cookies, I saw these gingerbread biscotti and after having the chocolate gingerbread from Warm Vanilla Sugar I felt I had to spread some more gingerbread love.

Gingerbread Biscotti
(adapted from Fine Cooking - Cookies)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (plus additional for shaping)
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. 

2) In your mixer bowl , add the first 7 ingredients.  Mix on low to combine. 

3) Mix in pecans/cranberries on low to just mic in. 

4) In a large measuring cup combine eggs and molasses, whisk together.  With the mixer on low slowly pour in the wet mixture.   Mix until the starts to come together in clumps.  There may be dry bits on the bottom.  

5) Pour the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and bring the dough together.   Divide into two equals parts.  Shape the dough into a log about 1 1/2-2 inches wide, 1/2 inch tall.  If the dough is sticky lightly flour your hands. 

6) Place the logs on to your prepared baking sheet, leave space for spreading.   Bake for 30-35 minutes, the top will be cracked.   Let cool on rack.  

7) Cut into slices and place cut side down onto the parchment for the second baking.   Bake to desired crispy level - probably about 10-20 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.

I found some cute little tins and packaged them off, not before stealing any extras.  I made some that were hard and some that were softer so that the receivers could try both. I tend to like them with a crunchy outside but softer inside.  I rather enjoyed these, makes me want to drink coffee to dip them in.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cranberry Biscotti

I don't drink coffee.   I don't drink tea.   I don't drink hot chocolate.  Why? I don't like hot drinks.  Is that weird?  Mind you I don't really like them when they are cold but I don't think anyone does.   For some reason I just can't do it.  Maybe I was burned when I was young and the fear is sitting in my subconscious.  I just can't seem to actually put the liquid to my lips.   I have tried many times and the odd day I will actually have some tea, on those days I just can't warm up or if I feel I need some healthy green tea.  I found this great apple cranberry tea when I was on my honeymoon cruise but I haven't found it here and the few packs I stole off the boat didn't last long.

I can however drink hot chocolate with a spoon if the craving suits me.  Which is also why I have no problems with soup.  I am however a huge fan of coffee in desserts,  I will put espresso powder in anything I am baking.  Case in point: the recipe below.

My lack of drinking tea or coffee however has not stopped my love for biscotti.  I like my biscotti slightly under baked so that it is not so hard.  Could be because I have no hot liquid, could be because I love soft cookies.  Either way biscotti can be a justification to eat a cookie in the morning with or with out coffee/tea.  I could drink coffee by sucking it out of the biscotti?  Uh, maybe not.

So in my continued quest to play around with gluten free, here goes nothing.   This biscotti uses a gluten free flour mixture from Gluten free for Dummies.

Gluten Free Biscotti with Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries
(Adapted from Gluten Free for Dummies)


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour mixture
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1 cup chocolate covered cranberries, chopped.

Gluten Free Flour Mixture - makes 5 cups

• 2 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup potato starch flour
• 1 cup tapioca flour
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 1/2 tbsp guar gum

To make flour mixture combine all ingredients together in a container and whisk or shake together. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpats. 

2) Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a saute pan, add almonds and toast until golden.  Stirring as needed to prevent burning.  Remove from heat and let cool. 

3) In your mixer bowl or large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on medium until mixture is well combined and fluffy. 

4) In a small bowl whisk together the flour mixture, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.  Add this mixture to the wet mixture, beating until just combined.  

5) Fold in chocolate covered cranberries and almonds. 

6) Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet and form dough into a log about 2 1/2 wide.   If the dough is too sticky lightly dampen your hands. 

7) Bake the dough for 20-25 minutes, or until is lightly golden on the outside.    Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. 

8) Slice the log into 1/2 slices.   Place the slices side down, back on the baking sheet and bake another 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Remove from oven and cool.  Store in an airtight container. 

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.    Who needs coffee or tea, I could eat this any time of day.  (P.S - the coffee in the picture is not for me)

MEG's RATING : D-EEEE-LICIOUS!

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