Thursday 11 December 2014

Hazelnut Biscotti

There were some special sales at the book store few weeks ago. Since the store wasn't crowded with people, so I took my own sweet time glancing and looking through the wide range of cookbooks selling at discounted prices. Biscotti ! Ding! Ding! Well, that was the only cookbook solely on biscotti with 42 biscotti recipes. Ding!!! I've been intrigued by some very interesting recipes ... Garlic Biscotti, Spring Onion Biscotti, Rose Biscotti, Charcoal Biscotti, Seaweed Biscotti, Tuna Biscotti ... Wow ! Have you heard of these ?
I love biscotti and my first attempt here about 2 months ago. Of course I grabbed a copy and headed my way to the checkout counter.

Okay, I admit ... hee hee! ... I "chicken out" as I'm not that adventurous to bake any of those unique recipes as mentioned above yet  ... lol ~○~ Cannot imagine the taste of dunked garlic biscotti in coffee or wine ... ~*~

Anyway, on the safe side, baked these Hazelnut Biscotti for my colleagues to try.




Recipe adapted from the cookbook - Biscotti by Kevin Chai.
Below my slightly modified version with some detailed steps and notes in blue.

Hazelnut Biscotti
Ingredients:
180g plain flour
3g baking powder
70g caster sugar (I reduced slightly to 55g)
40g hazelnut spread (I used Nutella)
50g egg lightly beaten
1 teaspoon hazelnut essence
40ml fresh milk
80g hazelnuts (reduced to 60g)

Method:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C for my oven)
Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Step 2
Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in an electric mixer. Add in the rest of the ingredients, mix to form a soft dough over low speed. (I added in the hazelnuts last after added all the spread/ liquid ingredients)



Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly until smooth. Shape into a 20cm long log. Place on prepared tray. Flatten slightly.

Step 3 
Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.


Remove and leave to cool completely.
Using a serrated knife, slice log diagonally into thin slices.
(I realised it's difficult to slice it too thinly as some of the hazelnuts 'dislodged'.  I should have coarsely chopped the hazelnuts instead. Slice it about 1cm thickness seemed to work better.)

Step 4 
Place slices, in a single layer, on baking tray. Bake in oven at 140°C for 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, or until dry and crisp. Stand on tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Store in airtight container.


Keeping some for my coffee breaks
To bring this jar of Hazelnut Biscotti
to office for my colleagues to try :D
Well ... needless to say ... I'm enjoying my dunking time ^-^!

Sharing this cookbook here with Cookbook Wednesday. Happy baking !






Also submitting this post to the respective blog-hop events below.

♧☆☆☆☆☆☆♧


Bake-Along #72 : Christmas Theme - Biscotti

Linking this post to Bake-Along event organized by the hosts (JoyceLena or Zoe)



Cook-Your-Books



I'm submitting this post to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014), organized by Yen from Eat your heart out, Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

28 comments:

  1. Good morning Karen
    Oh wow, lucky you.....if only I could get hold of this biscotti book too. I have never try out savoury biscotti....wonder how it taste better than the sweet ones. Since I dont have this cookbook, would you be kind to try out all the 42 recipes and post it out here on your blog.....hahahaha..... hazelnut biscotti sounds great for this first one.....

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    Replies
    1. Oh...I had a little laugh when I read "dunking the garlic biscotti into the coffee"..... became somewhat of garlic taste coffee lor....who knows it might taste good! Shall I try? Heheheheeee...... neh....

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  2. Good morning Mel, ha ha ! Could try some but not all the recipes lah. Oh! you shown interest in Garlic Biscotti ... please try and let me know ^-^!

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  3. Hi Karen,

    I can't help blinking my eyes non-stop after seeing Tuna Biscotti!!! What!!! I wouldn't be brave enough to bake these too :p

    This sounds like a fun cookbook and see that you are very happy to share your hazel biscotti bakes!

    Zoe

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    Replies
    1. Hi Zoe, still blinking your eyes? Hee .. hee.. Think I may try the rose biscotti. ..

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  4. Hi Karen,
    Your biscotti looks yum-yum! Kevin Chai's recipe books usually have some "weird" recipes in them, calls for ingredients that you would not use in a cake or bake. I always wonder about it! Haha! Tuna Biscotti? Interesting!
    Thanks for baking along with us!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Joyce,
      Quite true ... unique recipes perhaps.

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  5. Karen, I saw this book too last week. Honestly, all the recipes in the book are very interesting.
    Your Hazelnut Biscotti definitely a delicious snack to eat with coffee.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Grace, you didn't buy this book? I can pass the cookbook to you if you're interested to try the recipes. Or snap recipe in pictures to you. Let me know ^-^.

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  6. Wah, Karen, The ding! ding! was so loud hah..hah.. I am sure your biscotti was wonderful (many more to come?) and I have to try it one day. Never eaten biscotti before :(

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    Replies
    1. Hee hee.... Phong Hong, you really should try to bake some ... can dip with coffee, tea or wine ! Shiok!

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  7. Karen, thanks for sharing the recipes! Can I save them for references? :D I'm a biscotti newbie.

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  8. These biscotti look delicious! I love hazelnuts and would really enjoy a couple of these with my morning coffee I'm sipping right now :-)

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  9. Hi Karen, I think I've seen that biscotti cookbook too! Too adventurous for me to buy... haha. Love the addition of hazelnuts in your biscotti, looks delicious!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jasline. I can pass the cookbook to you to try some unique recipes ^-^!

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  10. Your biscotti look gorgeous and must be delicious with the hazelnuts!

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  11. What a GREAT find Karen. I'm luvin' that cookbook!!! I have a feeling we are going to be enjoying a whole lotta biscotti posts when visiting here. Hazelnut Biscotti is a wonderful one to begin with. I'm sure they are just perfect with a lovely cup of tea. I really need to bake some biscotti one day. Can I borrow your book, lol???

    Thank you so much for joining Cookbook Wednesday Karen and thank you for sharing...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Louise, thanks, oh yes it taste great with tea or coffee ^-^!
      You're most welcome. I could scan or snap the recipes via email you ... let me know :D

      Delete
  12. hi karen, i've seen that book too couple of months ....very intriguing indeed like tuna...hehe...just like the chiffon cake book by kevin chai, i remember there is one contains meat too :D Hazelnut biscotti safe yeah...hehe...and also sounds tasty! thx for your baking biscottis along with us!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Lena. I don't seem to find other cookbooks by kevin chai except this.

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  13. Hi Karen,
    Thanks for sharing this hazelnut biscotti recipe and the book from Kevin Chai. I will check it out the next time I am back in SG. I am gonna make some biscotti also tomorrow, it's been a long time since I last did them, keeping fingers crossed :)

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  14. This biscotti looks delicious. Your coworkers are lucky you decided to share them. That's a nice cookbook; the pictures are very pretty.

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  15. Oh no Karen, I just saw Zoe's biscotti and now yours too! I need MORE earl grey tea!! *slurp*

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    1. Hi Karen,
      Your hazel nut look so good! Must be bursting with nutty flavors. I love the adding of Nutella.
      I have Kevin's cookbook too. It 's a cookbook about butter cakes. Yes, there is all sort of ingredients including ikan bilis...haha
      Now I am looking forward to more of your biscotti. :)
      mui

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Sharing some of my favourite recipes, some new baking/cooking "adventures". Please feel free to post your comments for my improvement. Would be great to connect with you and learn some of your recipes too. Thanks for 'dropping by'.