Best Cornmeal Chili Pepper Biscotti Recipes

CORNMEAL BISCOTTI WITH CRANBERRIES AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick liner.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar and butter. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the motor running, add the 2 whole eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the pistachios, cranberries, and orange zest, and mix on low speed until blended. Add the cornmeal and mix again to blend. Add the reserved flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together in a ball, about 20 seconds.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a log about 12 inches long. Transfer to the baking sheet and press to flatten the log to a 1-inch thickness. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
• Bake until the log is just firm to the touch, about 50 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes, then use a serrated knife to slice the log diagonally at 3/4-inch intervals. (The slices may look a little underdone at the center, which is okay.)
• Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the biscotti over, return to the oven, and bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes longer. They will still be somewhat soft but will harden as they cool.
• Cool on a rack. Stored in an airtight container, these biscotti will keep for at least a week.

COCOA-CORNMEAL BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and soda together; whisk in the cornmeal.
• Working with a mixer (using a paddle attachment, if you have one), beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer off, and add the flour-cornmeal mixture all at once. Pulse the mixer a few times to begin incorporating the ingredients without having them fly about, and then mix on low speed until they disappear into the dough. Mix in the chips and almonds. The dough will be thick and heavy.
• Scrape half the dough onto one long side of the baking sheet. Using your hands and a spatula, shape the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide - perfection is impossible, so just get close. The log will be bumpy and rough, and that's fine. Form a second log on the other side of the sheet.
• Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the sheet after 15 minutes. The logs will have spread; they'll give when squeezed and won't be fully baked at this point. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack, and allow the logs to rest for 20 minutes. Carefully move one log to a cutting board. (If the parchment on the baking sheet is sticky, turn it over or replace it.) Using a serrated knife, trim the ends and then cut the log horizontally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet - you don't have to leave much room between them; repeat with the second log.
• Bake the cookies for another 15 minutes - they'll be firmer, but not completely dry; they firm and dry as they cool. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack, and allow the cookies to come to room temperature. Kept covered and away from humidity, the cookies will hold for at least 1 week.

CORNMEAL CHILI PEPPER BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F & lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• In a large mixing bowl beat cheese & butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.
• Add chili peppers, baking powder, salt & pepper, beating until combined, & scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Beat in eggs, then beat in cornmeal & as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.
• Using a wooden spoon or your hands, stir or knead in any remaining flour.
• Divide dough in half, & shape each half into a 9-inch long loaf.
• Place loaves about 5 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
• Flatten slightly to about 3 inches wide.
• Bake 30-35 minutes or until light brown.
• Cool on cookie sheet for 1 hour.
• When cooled, preheat oven to 325 degrees F, & transfer loaves to cutting board to cut each loaf into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Place slices, cut sides down, on cookie sheet & bake for 15 minutes.
• Turn slices over & bake another 15 minutes or more or until cookies are dry & crisp.
• Transfer to wire rack to cool.