Baking Baking Baking

Being the considerate daughter that I am :), I try to bake a little something sweet for my mom to snack on when she's in town watching Max. Last week, I made cranberry pistachio biscotti. Quite tasty and easy to make, although it was rather annoying to have to take the shells off all the pistachios. Nice afternoon snack.

I also had leftover buttermilk so decided to whip up some buttermilk biscuits! So good with honey. I think I will try to make this once every week or two. It's quite comforting.



Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Courtesy of AllRecipes.com

1/4 cup light olive oil
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups pistachio nuts

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand.
Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily.
Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool.

Buttermilk Biscuits
Courtesy of Baking Illustrated

1 cup (5 oz) all purpose flour
1 cup (4 oz) plain cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3/4 cup cold buttermilk, or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 450
2. Place flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl, whisk together
3. Cut butter into mixture until resembles coarse meal
4. Stir buttermilk in until mixture forms a soft slightly sticky ball
5. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and quickly form into a rough ball. Do not overmix. Using sharp knife or dough cutter, divide into quarters than cut each quarter into thirds. Quickly shape each into a rough ball and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake until biscuit tops are light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately