Lemon Rosemary Biscotti

Can you believe it’s December already? That’s ridiculous … time is amazing and crazy, the way it can rush by or drag on and on. I remember sitting in physics class in high school and staring at the clock across the room, trying to WILL the minute hand of the big clock to move along so I could scoop up my things and get out of that room. The teacher was droning on and on (or I thought he was – what did I know?) and I felt my eyes crossing. When I think of all the hours upon hours I spent doing that I just shake my head. Small wonder I’m the other way now and time moves along at a brisk clip. When I’ve got the mojo, watch out…

This past weekend, off I went to my Food Bloggers LA Annual Cookie Swap. What a group! It was wonderful to see everyone and I missed all those who couldn’t make it. The table looked unbelievable when everyone set up all their offerings. Can you imagine? Bringing several dozen cookies and taking home the same amount?

Novio,  friends and neighbors will all be smiling over the next few days, not to mention me.  🙂 Thank you Judy, Natalie, Valentina, Christina, Kelly, Nancy, Sara, Cathy, Ellen, Andrew to name only a few… and thanks to Erika Kerekes for opening her home to us!

I  chose two cookies very different. One dairy-free, no chocolate. The other with dairy (but can made dairy-free), with chocolate. Both slightly tweaked and from VERY reliable sources. What were they?

Oh, yes… Lemon Rosemary Biscotti (simple) and Macadamia Shortbread Brownie Bites (a bit more labor intensive but worth it every now and then). The latter – the little babies in the paper cups next to the biscotti, are set to arrive in the next post… stay tuned…

Let’s start with the very lovely and classic pairing of lemon and rosemary.

This cookie is a lighter and smaller version of biscotti and is from Paula Shoyer‘s The Kosher Baker, which I’ve referenced several times here on bb. Paula organizes the book by levels of complexity — moving from fairly quick and elegant to multiple-step desserts. I’m working my way through the simple and elegant section and taking you along with me for my favorites. I’ll let you know if and when I move into the deeper waters.

But for now, I’m working with a straightforward dough.

adding the flavorings… lemon zest, juice and finely chopped rosemary

As biscotti go, these loaves are fairly flat.

just-browned loaves

Cutting is easy with a heavy knife.

Rosemary for dessert, anyone? Yeah!

Lemon Rosemary  Biscotti

barely tweaked from Paula Shoyer’s, The Kosher Baker

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1 c. + 1/2 t. sugar, divided (1/2 t. is to sprinkle on top later)

1 t. baking powder

2 t. lemon zest (from one lemon)

3 large eggs (or 2 eegs + 1 yolk for batter, 1 white to glaze biscotti)

2 t. pure vanilla extract

1 T.  freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

1 t. finely chapped fresh rosemary leaves

Note: You can use all regular flour. I like upping the fiber content in baked goods and whole wheat pastry flour is so light, no one ever  notices it. I swap out half the amount of regular flour a lot too.

Directions:

Preheat  oven to 350°.

Line a jellyroll pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and lemon zest.

Add the 2 eggs plus 1 yolk, vanilla, lemon juice, and rosemary.

Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. You can also use a stand mixer for this.

Divide the dough in half. Form two logs, about 3 x 8 inches each. Place the logs on the pan, leaving space between them

Lightly beat  the reserved egg white and brush the tops of the logs.

Bake for 23-28 minutes, until logs are slightly golden on top. Slide the parchment paper with the loaves onto the counter. Let them rest for 5 minutes.

Cut each log crosswise into half inch thick slices. They will be slightly soft in the center. Place sliced cookies cut side down directly onto the pan and place back in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes until slightly browned. The longer you bake the biscotti, the harder they become. I prefer softer biscotti, so I always bake it for the minimum number of minutes.

Place the biscotti on a cooling rack and let cool.

Makes 30 to 35 biscotti. They last for up to three months in the freezer (if you can keep from visiting them).