Here, cherries jubilee—sweet
cherries in a spiked syrup over
vanilla ice cream—becomes
biscotti with dried cherries,
toasted almonds, and white
chocolate. Yields about
3 dozen cookies
111/4 oz. (21/2 cups) unbleached all-
purpose flour; more as needed
1 cup granulated sugar
13/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
9 oz. (13/4 cups) dried cherries
3 oz. (3/4 cup) slivered almonds,
toasted
3 large eggs
3 Tbs. kirsch or brandy
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract
14 to 16 oz. white chocolate,
chopped
Position a rack in the center of
the oven and heat the oven to
350°F. line a large cookie sheet
with parchment or a nonstick
baking liner.
In a stand mixer fitted with thepaddle attachment, combine the
flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt
on medium-low speed until well
blended. On low speed, mix in the
cherries and almonds. In a small
bowl, whisk the eggs, kirsch, and
almond extract. Slowly pour in the
egg mixture. mix until the dough
comes together in large, moist
clumps, about 1 minute.
Turn the dough out onto alightly floured surface and knead
to incorporate any remaining dry
ingredients. Divide into 2 equal
piles. Shape each pile into a log
10 inches long and about 4 inches
wide, lightly flouring your hands as
needed (the dough will be sticky).
Position the logs on the cookie
sheet about 4 inches apart. Bake
until the tops are cracked and
spring back slightly when pressed,
32 to 36 minutes. Transfer the
sheet to a rack and leave until the
logs are cool enough to handle,
about 10 minutes. Reduce the
oven temperature to 300°F.
carefully peel the logs from
the parchment and transfer to a
cutting board. Using a serrated
knife, cut each log on a sharp angle
into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Return
the slices to the cookie sheet and
arrange them cut side down. It’s
Ok if they touch because they
won’t spread.
Bake until the biscotti are dried
to your taste, 10 minutes (for
slightly moist) to 20 minutes (for
super-dry and crunchy), turning
them over halfway through baking.
Transfer the cookie sheet to a
rack and let the biscotti cool
completely. They will still give
slightly when pressed but will
harden as they cool.
When the biscotti are cool, melt
the white chocolate in a microwave
or in a heatproof bowl set in a
skillet of barely simmering water.
Dip one end of each biscotti in the
chocolate and place on a baking
sheet lined with fresh parchment
until set, about 30 minutes. Store
in an airtight container for up to
2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month.dried cherry and almond biscotti
with white chocolate
clementine granita
This granita is a refreshingly light and
delightful finish to a rich meal. And it’s a
snap to make. Yields about 1 quart;
serves 43/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. finely chopped clementine zest
(from 2 to 3 medium clementines)
kosher salt
3 cups fresh clementine juice, with pulp
(from 18 to 20 medium clementines or
about 4 lb.)In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar,
zest, a pinch of salt, and 3/4 cup water. Bring
to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring,
until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear,
about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly as
you juice the clementines.
Stir the juice and syrup together, pour
into a small metal pan, such as a loaf pan,
cover with plastic, and freeze for 2 hours. Stir
the mixture with a spoon, breaking up the
portions that have become solid, and return
to the freezer. Stir every 30 minutes until
the mixture is evenly icy and granular, about
2 hours more.
cover and return to the freezer until ready
to serve. The granita may be made up to
1 week ahead. To serve, scrape with a spoon
to loosen the mixture, and spoon into small
bowls or glasses.FInecOOkIng.cOm 85