Black Pepper And Fig Biscotti Recipes

HELEN'S BLACK PEPPER WALNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir in the pepper and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until pale and light. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the orange zest and vanilla and almond extracts.
• Fold in the flour mixture, then fold in the walnuts. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone liners.
• Divide the dough in half, place 1 piece on each sheet and shape each piece into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches across and 1 inch tall. Bake until the logs are baked through and lightly browned, about 35 minutes.
• Let the logs cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheets (leave the oven on), then transfer them carefully to racks to cool 10 minutes more. Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking sheets and return to the oven until well toasted, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer the biscotti to cooling racks to cool completely. They will keep, tightly covered, up to 1 week.

WALNUT, ORANGE AND BLACK PEPPER BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• To begin, toast and chop the walnuts, have ready the zests, grind the pepper and bring butter and eggs to room temperature.
• Line two trays with parchment paper or nonstick liners like Exopat. Have ready a large floured surface, a dough scraper and extra parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl sift the flours, baking powder, soda, salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well, and add the zest and vanilla.
• Stir in the dry mixture into the butter mixture, then add the nuts. Do not over mix but also don't leave streaks of flour either. You will have quite a goopy mess.
• Tip the dough out onto your work surface. Divide the dough into pieces. Two pieces for large trad. size biscotti, four pieces for smaller, thinner ones.
• With floured hands and/or your dough scraper, form into logs about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, quickly place onto trays about 3" apart, brush off excess flour, and put into the middle of preheated oven. (I say quickly because if you bumble about.
• picking the logs up they will fall back onto the board. If this happens, don't worry, just form into logs and try again.).
• If you don't want to cook all of the logs, wrap them up in parchment, then saran wrap and freeze.
• Cook for about 20 mins (small) or 25 mins (large logs) until they are just turning golden.
• Remove from oven, let cool on baking rack for 10 minutes or so -- longer doesn't hurt.
• Now put the biscotti logs on a big cutting board, cut them on the diagonal about 3/4" wide, replace on same trays cut side down and place in oven (still 350° F.) for 7-8 minutes or until as hard as you want. I like them like granite so it takes them longer.
• Let cool on racks and then store in airtight containers.

BLACK PEPPER BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in Grand Marnier, lemon peel and vanilla. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in dry ingredients. Cover and chill just until slightly firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle powdered sugar on work surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half on sugar to 11-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake until firm to touch, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Transfer logs to work surface. Discard parchment paper. Using serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake until dry, about 20 minutes. Cool on racks. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight.)

BLACK PEPPER AND FIG BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well to distribute the butter. Add the dry ingredients and mix until almost smooth. Stir in the figs.
• Working on a floured surface, shape the dough into 2 logs, 14 inches long, by 1 1/2 inch thick. Place logs on a cookie sheet coated with baking spray, at least 4 inches apart and flatten to 1/2 inch high. Bake for 18 - 23 minutes, until firm. Cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce the oven to 300 degrees.
• Using a serrated knife, slice the cooled loaves into diagonal slices, 1/2 inch wide. Stand them on the cookie sheet with some space around each one and bake for 30 minutes until crisp. Cool completely before storing.
• Notes: I like mission figs for this recipe, better than the calmryna ones. Also, I always eat the four end pieces while I'm baking the rest of the slices for the second time.