chocolate roasted almond biscotti

as most of you know i have a slight obsession with coffee, i have a bronze coffee bean necklace that i wear all the time. (i know a little weird.) people at work think i have issues, like addiction issues, but in reality they just don’t know what they are missing.

so needless to say, i love anything that you can EAT with coffee. this was my first time making biscotti, and really eating them. i made them for a new years eve party that i had and served with stumptown frenchpress, ah yeah, it was amazing.

 

they do brighten my day, and my afternoon, and for my evening for that matter.

i tweaked the recipe quite a bit, this is an original new york times recipe, for chocolate hazelnut biscotti, but i only had almonds, so i used those, and really liked it. i also dipped them in a coffee gnash, that made them softer, but i don’t like them hard as rocks. and i also sprinkled sugar in the raw, after brushing on the eggs.

i found the recipe from smitten kitchen (whom i love!!)

1 cup silvered almonds (or hazelnuts.)
2 1/2 cups flour, plus flour for work surface
1/2 cup Dutch-style cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder (i used 2 tablespoons of dark frenchpress.)
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on baking sheet and toast about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder together and set aside.

3. Beat eggs lightly, just until blended, in mixing bowl with whisk or in electric mixer. Remove two tablespoons of egg mixture to small dish and set aside. Beat sugar into remaining eggs until blended. Stir in flour mixture to form soft dough.

4. Divide the dough in half and place one portion on a well-floured work surface. With floured hands, pat it into a six-inch square. Scatter half the almonds on the dough and press them into the surface. Roll the dough into a cylinder about 2 inches in diameter and 12 to 15 inches long. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and place the roll of dough on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Brush the tops of both rolls with the reserved egg.

5. Place in the oven and bake about 15 minutes, until firm to the touch. (This took me until 20 to 25 minutes.) Transfer to a cutting board and cut on an angle into slices one-half-inch thick. Return the slices to the baking sheet, laying them on their cut sides, and return them to the oven. Bake another 20 minutes, until they are crisp and dry. Allow to cool completely before storing or serving.

 

coffee gnash

1/2 cup cream

1/4 cup frenchpress

1 cup chopped dark chocolate

 

heat cream, and coffee in a small sauce pan, to a simmer. remove pan from heat and add chocolate, let sit to melt a bit. then stir to combine.

i also wrapped a few up in and gave them as gifts.

original recipe new york times

adapted my madey edlin

photography by me

tomato toast with brie, and basil

ah, yeah. amazing. be still my beating heart. everything you could ever want on a piece of toasty rustic bread.

 

it’s pouring here. p.o.u.r.i.n.g.

slice enough chedder cheese, and brie to cover 4 pieces of artisan bread. toast under broiler until melted. top with sliced tomatoes, and chopped basil. grind fresh salt and pepper.

 

(Orignal recipe by madey edlin)

(photography by madeyedlinblog.com)

israeli couscous salad, with roasted squash, and raisins

tuesdays are my nothing days. you know how week ends are non-existent? well, tuesdays are my weekends. i wear sweats all day, cook something, and light the candels. these are the great days.

any way. as always, squash comes with fall, and it’s being put to good use at the edlin house hold.

yumm…