Mandelbrot, the "Jewish Biscotti"

Actually I always thought of biscotti as the Italian mandelbrot (almond bread). The crunchy lusciousness of these cookies/biscuits is perfect for dipping into hot tea or coffee. I make them small sometimes, like cantucci, so Paul can dip them in Vin Santo.

My bubby used to give us kids the first baked cutoffs which we adored as softer vanilla/almond delights. Even today they are still evocative of those scents permeating the house while the sounds of English and Yiddish melded together.

So here is my recipe that does work even though I've altered the original recipe; I use egg substitute and canola oil. White flour and sugar will still not qualify for health food status, but oh well, satisfying one's longings can't be all bad.

MANDELBROT (Almond Biscuits [Jewish biscotti]) 

Great for eating and dipping.

(Low Cholesterol version by Sherry Fishman)

1. CREAM:

1 cup canola oil

1 ¾  cups sugar

4 eggs (or 1 cup egg substitute)

½ tsp almond extract

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup water (note: if using egg substitute, don’t add the water)

2. IN A LARGE BOWL

Sift

  5 cups of unbleached white flour

  3 heaping tsp baking powder

  ½ tsp salt

3. Make a well in the sifted ingredients

Add creamed ingredients and blend until dough is pliable but sticky

Add 1 cup blanched (i.e. skin off) chopped almonds (walnuts or hazelnuts could be used)

4. Make 4 elongated loaves and place on greased cookie sheets

5. BAKE at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (or 325 degrees convection); remove from oven and cool, when cool enough to move without breaking, place loaves on cutting board

Lower oven to 300 degrees

6. Slice loaves into approx. ¾ inch thick slices; lay slices flat on cookie sheets (don’t grease them again); sprinkle with cinnamon sugar

7. BAKE at 300 degrees, then check in 25–30 minute increments, (or 275 degrees on convection),  – they are done when they are hard all the way through (the best test is to eat one, it should crunch, if it doesn’t, put them back in the oven)  I turn the oven off and leave them in the oven, even after they feel hard enough to the touch so there is no give when you press a finger tip into the center.

Note: you can also make soft, chewy cookies using the dough (after Step 3) for drop cookies, add sprinkles, only do the first bake and remove from oven when golden. Yummy.