CANDY CANE BISCOTTI

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BRRRR! It’s getting chilly outside. Hope it continues for the 2010 Olympics. Judy Nishi sent me her favourite recipe for Christmas and here it is. Thanks Judy.

CANDY CANE BISCOTTI
1 + 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, whisked
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2 tsp. peppermint extract (I added 1more tsp.)
1 egg white, slightly beaten
6 peppermint candy canes(about 1/4c) finely crushed

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with lightly greased parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking powder and candy cane, set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine whisked eggs, melted butter, sugar and peppermint extract.
Stir in flour mixture until soft sticky dough forms.
Transfer dough onto a lightly floured work surface with hands form into small ball.
Divide dough into half. Roll into 12 inch round flattened logs.
Transfer onto a lightly greased large cookie sheet. Brush top of dough with egg white.
Bake at 350 degree for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn oven down to 275 degrees.
Cool log for 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Carefully remove logs to cutting surface,
Cut each log into1/2 to 3/4 inch slices with sharp serrated knife.
Arrange pieces on the same cookie sheet, cut side down.
Bake at 275 degrees for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
Place on cooling rack, cool completely.

Note: To crush candy cane, put in freezer bag and another plastic bag then pound candy with the side of a meat mallet, rolling pin or hammer.
Biscotti freezes well in a tightly closed container or ziploc freezer bag.

MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES
A reader, Alice Bradley, sent me about 5 recipes and I’m sorry that I can’t put it all in my column this time but I will keep it for future time.
Really appreciate your recipes. Tried this one and it turned out very delicious and pretty snowball like.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar.
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans.

Cream butter and sugar together, add vanilla, then flour and nuts. Combine to form a stiff dough.
Roll teaspoons of dough into about 1 inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 degree F for about 12 to 15 minutes.
In the meantime, sift a few cups of icing sugar onto a rimmed cookie sheet.

As soon as the cookie comes out of the oven, roll them in the icing sugar. Place the cookies in a storage box and cool completely.
Lightly dust again with a small amount of icing sugar.

TOFFEE BITS TRIANGLES
Found this recipe in a magazine and it’s easy and very good.

Prep time: 20 min; Bake time 20 min.

1 cup butter or margarine. softened
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2 cups all purpose flour
1+1/4 cups skor toffee bits, divided (bought mine at bulk food)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350F. Line a 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Beat in egg yolk and vanilla till creamy.
Stir in flour and 1 cup toffee bits until well combined.
PRESS dough evenly into prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until brown; transfer pan to cooling rack.
IMMEDIATELY sprinkle chocolate chips over hot cookie base.
Let stand for 5 minutes or until chocolate is softened.
SPREAD chocolate evenly over the base;sprinkle remaining toffee bits over chocolate
Cool until chocolate is set, about 2 to 3 hours.
Cut into 3-inch squares; cut each square diagonally to make 4 triangles.
TIP: Place the pan in the refrigerator for 45 min to 1 hour to set the chocolate faster.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!