Peppernut Biscotti (and other variations)

My family makes these tiny Christmas cookies called Peppernuts.  I've met other people that make peppernuts, but its usually a slightly different recipe (that I don't like very much).  The Fast family makes White Peppernuts.  As much as I'd love to share that recipe with you, I've been sworn to secrecy (you'll have to marry me for that recipe...)  This also leads to the disclosure that if you're one of the two people I've shared this recipe with, please don't tell my Aunt Betty.

Peppernut Biscotti

One of my cousins has voted my Peppernuts the best in the family.  I admit that she's only one of almost 30 grand-kids, so it's not like I've won by a landslide....  But I'll take even the small victories such as this one.  She enjoys eating Peppernuts with coffee for breakfast, which is what led me to think maybe I could come up with a recipe for Peppernut Biscotti.

So, this is what I set out to do the day before Thanksgiving this year (because the cousin who voted my Peppernuts the best in the family also happens to host Thanksgiving each year.)  By the third batch I think I've found a recipe that works.  It gives the proper flavor of Peppernuts in the form of biscotti.

Giving credit where credit is due:  I used a base recipe for American-Style Vanilla Biscotti that I found online.  You can find that recipe here. 

INGREDIENTS:

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

6 Tbsp Butter, softened
2/3 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2 Eggs
2 Cups Flour

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Cream butter and sugar.  Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and baking powder.  Mix in eggs, beat well (its okay if the "batter" looks lumpy at this point).  Add the first cup and flour and mix with your mixer.  Stir in the second cup of flour by hand.  Dough will be a little sticky.

On a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper (I find parchment paper to work best with this recipe), shape dough into a 14" x 2.5" x 3/4" log.  I find it a little easier to do this if you grease your fingers lightly with some butter.

Dark Choc.-Almond Biscotti

Bake at 350 F for about 25-30 minutes.   Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, lower the oven temperature to 325 F.

Spritz warm log lightly with room temperature water.  Cool another 5 minutes.  Transfer log to cutting board and slice into approximately 1/2-3/4 inch slices at a 45 degree angle.  Its best to use a serrated knife.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Place the cut cookies back onto baking sheet and bake at 325 F for 25-30 minutes, turning half-way through the cook time.  The cookies may take a few minutes longer, depending on your oven.  You want them to begin getting crispy around the edges, but not too browned. 

Serve your biscotti with coffee or hot chocolate.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

VARIATIONS:

VANILLA BISCOTTI:
*Increase vanilla to 2 tsp.
*Omit pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon.
*Add up to 2 cups of mix-ins, such as
-----dried cranberries, pistachios, and the zest of 1-2 large oranges.
-----dark chocolate chips and sliced almonds.

CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI:
*Omit pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon.
*Increase vanilla to 2 tsp.
*Increase Sugar by 2 Tbsp.
*Add 3-4 Tbsp Dutch Process Cocoa (you can use regular cocoa, but dutch process has a much richer flavor).
*Add up to 2 cups mix-ins, such as
-----Sliced Almonds
-----Chopped Dark Chocolate and the zest of 3-4 medium oranges

Chopped Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest

Coconut Curry Chicken

This is another recipe that started with a trip to a restaurant.  I love that I can "dissect" a dish with my taste-buds and then work to recreate it.  Its more fun than most people know how to have in the kitchen.

I'm not sure if this technically qualifies as a curry, but its definitely got curry in it!  If you don't like the texture of coconut, you can leave that out at the end, and just thicken the gravy with more corn-starch slurry or more chicken.

INGREDIENTS

1 small whole chicken (or 4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts)
Salt & pepper
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk (shake well)
1 cup chicken broth (more if needed)
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground ginger (to taste)
1 Tbsp (approx) curry powder (to taste)
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp corn starch (more if needed)
Shredded sweetened coconut (3/4 - 1 cup)

DIRECTIONS

Poach chicken.  Shred.  (Not sure how to do this?  Google it).

Combine milk, broth, sugar, ginger, and curry powder in sauce pan or skillet with high sides.  Heat til sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently.  Add chicken and cook approximately 10 minutes.  Combine water and corn starch in seal-able container; shake.  Add enough to gravy for desired consistency (leave a little "watery" as the coconut will thicken the gravy further).  Add coconut.  Serve over rice.