Lemon Poppy Seed Biscotti

When I was a child, I thought as a child.  Cookies were always chocolate chip and always dipped into ice cold milk.  As an adult, I still think like a child.  But, I have managed to expand my cookie repertoire to include the ever adult biscotti.  A cookie for those who don’t need the comfort of the soft, chewy and chocolaty.  A cookie for those who can understand the comfort of sturdy and stable without being overly sweet.

While I usually reserve biscotti to the colder months, I felt compelled to create a summery version of a favorite treat.  I’m glad I did.  Lemon really adds a spark and the addition of poppy seeds do not go unnoticed.  I thought the crunch of the biscotti would make the poppy seeds invalid.  Not the case.  I love this twist on a flavor combination that’s usually reserved for muffins.

Lemon Poppy Seed Biscotti

adapted from here via Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 3  1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/3 t salt
• 1  1/2 cup sugar
• 1  1/4 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 2 T lemon juice (usually it’s the juice of one small lemon)
• zest of 1 small lemon
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Mix sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large bowl.
4. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
5. By hand, not using an electric mixer, incorporate the flour mixture in three batches into the sugar/butter mixture.
6. Incorporate until everything is blended and smooth.
7. Add poppy seeds to cookie dough and mix to incorporate.
8. Divide dough in half and shape into two logs onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
9. Make each dough into a 13-inch-long and 2-inch-high log.
10. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
11. Remove from oven, but do not turn off oven.  Or, if you have to turn off the oven, note that you must have the oven back at 350 F when you re-bake the cookies.
12. Cool completely.
13. Once cool, transport the cookies (holding onto the parchment) to a cutting board.
14. Cut each log into 1/2 wide slices.
15. Lay each slice back on the cookie sheet with cut sides facing down.
16. Bake for 12 minutes.
17. Turn the cookies over and bake for another 8 minutes.
18. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

 

A Biscotti By Any Other Name…Would Be Cake Rusk

One of my favorite tea-time snacks as a kid was Indian cake rusk.  Do you know what it is?  Have you had it?

Well, it is delicious.

Since then I’ve grown up.

Since then I’ve also realized that cake rusk is really biscotti.  Since then I’ve made biscotti.  Several times.  And called it cake rusk to my Indian family so they too can understand – and awe at my creation.

And what I mean by “my creation” is that I used the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and changed it up a tad.

This is hands-down my favorite biscotti recipe.

The flavor is outstanding.  The subtle citrus combined with almonds makes this cake rusk biscotti perfect for tea time or any time at all.

Biscotti/Cake Rusk
–  adapted from here

Ingredients:

• 3  1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/3 t salt
• 1  1/2 cup sugar
• 1  1/4 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1/4 t almond extract
• 1 T orange juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Mix sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest in a large bowl.
4. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
5. By hand, not using an electric mixer, incorporate the flour mixture in three batches into the sugar/butter mixture.
6. Incorporate until everything is blended and smooth.
7. Add almonds to cookie dough.
8. Divide dough in half and shape into two logs onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
9. Make each dough into a 13-inch-long and 2-inch-high log.
10. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
11. Remove from oven, but do not turn off oven.  Or, if you have to turn off the oven, note that you must have the oven back at 350 F when you re-bake the cookies.
12. Cool completely.
13. Once cool, transport the cookies (holding onto the parchment) to a cutting board.
14. Cut each log into 1/2 wide slices.
15. Lay each slice back on the cookie sheet with cut sides facing down.
16. Bake for 12 minutes.
17. Turn the cookies over and bake for another 8 minutes.
18. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

FYI – Currently listening to: Pleasure Songs by The Mary Onettes

Do you like biscotti?  Have you tried the Smitten Kitchen recipe?  Do you drink it with tea?