What a year it has been. It started with the launch of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. A project that I knew was a great concept, but had no idea that so many people would embrace it. Thank you all for the fabulous support and wonderful emails, pictures and thought provoking questions you’ve sent! Due to those inquiries and suggestions Jeff and I have embarked on our second book. This time we are focusing on breads made with whole grains and really healthy ingredients, that are still fast, easy and tasty! Even some gluten free breads. The book is due at the publisher in TWO days and we are working like crazy to get it in on time. It should be available next fall.
Of course, I need something to nibble on as I work on the book so I made my favorite biscotti. This is the one cookie that I can not keep my hands off of. I force myself to give some of them away so that I don’t eat the entire batch all by myself! 😉
In the past year I created Zoe Bakes as a way to fulfill my need to make pastries in a life that has been consumed with baking bread. Don’t get me wrong, I adore bread, but a pastry chef needs her sweets! This is where I play and dream. I’ve gotten so many of my ideas from reading your comments and visiting other bakers’ wonderful websites. The web has become my playground, a place to share ideas and gain inspiration. A true blessing and an absolute thrill.
Happy New Year to you all! Cheers!
Chocolate, Candied Ginger and Grapefruit Biscotti
Find the full recipe and follow along with the instructions below.
Preheat oven to 350° and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of your mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix in the eggs, one at a time on low speed. Add the chocolate, nuts, ginger and candied grapefruit. Mix until everything is well distributed. The dough will be very sticky.
Scoop the dough out with a Bowl Scraper or Rubber Spatula onto the silpat or parchment.
Divide the dough in half. Using wet hands form the two halves into logs. You want the logs to be as even as possible from one end to the other.
Bake for 30+ minutes or until the logs are firm to the touch. Allow them to cool for about 25 minutes. If the logs are still too warm they will fall apart when you try to slice them.
Slice the logs into 1/2 thick slices with a serrated Knife.
Line them up on the silpat and bake them for 15 minutes. Flip them over
and bake for an additional 10 minutes. If you like your biscotti slightly softer than reduce the baking by about 10 minutes. If you do this they will not store quite as long. If baked until dry they will store for several days, if you don’t eat them all first!
I have to give a congratulatory shout out to Johnny Iuzinni for his book that just came out today! My copy of Johnny’s Dessert FourPlay is in the mail and I look forward to baking from it soon!
I also have to share my proud parent moments with you:
My son’s first gingerbread house! With a few nibbles off the top!
For those of you who have written to me or asked me questions in the past couple of weeks, please forgive me if I have not replied yet. I promise to get back to you after January 3rd, right after I bust open a bottle of Champagne and celebrate the departure of the manuscript! 😉
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla
- ¾ cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
- ⅔ cups whole raw almonds
- ½ cup crystallized ginger
- ⅓ cup candied grapefruit Recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of your mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix in the eggs, one at a time on low speed. Add the chocolate, nuts, ginger and candied grapefruit. Mix until everything is well distributed. The dough will be very sticky.
- Scoop the dough out with a Bowl Scraper or Rubber Spatula onto the silpat or parchment.
- Divide the dough in half. Using wet hands form the two halves into logs. You want the logs to be as even as possible from one end to the other.
- Bake for 30+ minutes or until the logs are firm to the touch. Allow them to cool for about 25 minutes. If the logs are still too warm they will fall apart when you try to slice them.
- Slice the logs into 1/2 thick slices with a serrated Knife.
- Line them up on the silpat and bake them for 15 minutes. Flip them over and bake for an additional 10 minutes. If you like your biscotti slightly softer, then reduce the baking by about 10 minutes. If you do this they will not store quite as long. If baked until dry they will store for several days.
Zoe, this recipe sounds delicious. I would like the biscotti to be softer….. should some butter be added or should it just be baked less? Thanks for your help…..your recipes are always keepers!
oh my good lord! the biscotti look absolutely fantastic! I was just thinking about making some this weekend.
Hi Justin,
Thanks for the tip, that looks like fun and this recipe is perfect with those grapefruit!
Wish me luck!
Zoë
Yet another awesome recipe! I think this could do pretty well in the Rio Star Challenge.
http://riostarchallenge.com
There’s $5,000 in total prizes for original recipes using Rio Star Grapefruit.
Happy New Year and good luck with the book Zoe!
Best of luck with your new book! I can’t wait.
Happy new year, Zoe! Best of luck with your new book! These biscotti look delicious and the pictures – gorgeous!
Chocolate biscotti! that looks yummy! I haven’t had biscotti in a while…and you’ve reminded me I ought to indulge in some soon!
This recipe makes me want to run to Whole Foods immediately to purchase grapefruit. This sounds absolutely delicious and this time of year I especially crave grapefruit and other citrus.
Happy New Year! Thank you for your wonderful blog and all the deliciousness you share with us.
Your recipes always sound so fabulous! Congratulations on a fabulous year!
PS – Your son’s gingerbread house? Better than anything I could build 🙂
Wonderful looking biscotti Zoe! I love that you used the candied grapefruit that you made in it!!! Can’t wait for your new book. Maybe I will break down and buy them both as a set!!! LOL!
Oh, I can almost taste those! Like Jo said, it’s been great getting to know you a little better through Twitter and here. It’s so wonderful in these times that book authors are so approachable through the internet–who’d have ever thought? Anyway, I absolutely adore your(s?-not sure) and Jeff’s book, and cannot wait for the next–it sounds amazing.
Adorable gingerbread house, too! Happy New Year!
Zoe… I have so enjoyed getting to know you a bit better through both your site here and twitter over the past few months. You are a delight! Your food is amazing! Happy New Year and may 2009 be the best ever for you and your family!
*hugs*
Happy New Year, Zoe! I hope it’s full of great things for you!
I really enjoy eating biscotti also. to make them dry better, for the second round of baking, I place a cooling rack on the cookie sheet and place the biscotti on the cooling rack. the air will circulate around the cookie,eliminating the need for turning them. Happy New Year
Your biscotti is calling to me…”Make Me, Make Me”, and so I shall. Thank you, Zoe!
Congratulations to your son on his very first, very adorable Gingerbread house.
Happy New Year to you Zoe. Hope you have a wonderful 09!
PS. That gingerbread house is brilliant, well done to your son.
What a fabulous flavor combo – I bet these are delicious!! Happy new year!
What a sweet gingerbread house! You must be very proud of your little architect!
I just got ABiFMD this week; have made light whole wheat and rye so far, and the first pizza will go in the oven this afternoon. I’m thrilled to hear about the whole grain book, when can I preorder? 😉
Happy new year to you and yours!
~Jain
Love your biscotti – the form is so perfect!
I sympathize with your deadline pressure. Hang in there . . . you’re on the home stretch!
happy new year zoe. beautiful biscotti!
Mmmm, those biscotti look extra yummy, and I was looking for exactly such a recipe, having all the ingredients at home. So I’ll bake them soon, to offer colleagues and friends to celebrate 2009!
Bravo for surviving the tremendous amount of work your second bread surely demands, be sure I’ll order it ASAP 😉
Best wishes for 2009! (and please go on treating so many of us through your blogs and book(s)!)