Saturday, September 26, 2009

Soft Molasses Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup white flour
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. soda
1/2 cup hot coffee
1/2 t. vinegar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Blend sugar and butter. Mix coffee, egg, molasses, spices and soda, and add to sugar mixture. Then add vinegar, flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen small cookies.

Mixed Nut Biscotti

2 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated cane sugar
1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 t salt
2 cups mixed, coarsely chopped nuts*

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat eggs and cane sugar together. Add salt, flour, and nuts, stirring until completely mixed. Spread evenly in an oiled bread loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 50 minutes.

Turn oven up to 425 degrees.

Remove biscotti from pan onto a cutting board. Carefully cut into 1/2" slices, and lay cut side up on a baking sheet. If desired, spray tops with olive oil. Bake for 4 minutes on each side for a crunchy texture, or only one side for a little softer bar.

* I used a mixture of pastachio, cashew, peanuts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans etc would be good, too.