Recipe: White Chocolate and Lavender Biscotti by Laurie Pfalzer
This post is part of our Fall Blog Blitz! For the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you special posts in support of our Slow Food Fall Membership Campaign. Come back often for more recipes, photos, tips, and resources as we celebrate Slow Food in all its forms!
Slow Food membership supports sustainable food production, teaching children how to grow food, preserving traditional foods, and celebrating food cultures. Together we are linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to local communities and the environment. There is a place for you at our table here in our local Seattle chapter. Join now!
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On Tuesday, we posted a recipe for a Concord Grape & Lavender Shrub from Amy Pennington. If you were inspired by that recipe to pick up some culinary lavender, we happen to have another recipe for you to help use up the tin or bag of that fragrant Washington state product!
Laurie Pfalzer is a Culinary Institute of America-trained baking teacher based here in Seattle. You might have already met her at a local baking class at PCC Natural Markets, a free baking chat through the King County Library System, or one of her own private classes. If you haven't met her yet, check out her calendar as she has some great things scheduled for this fall (ciabatta and pizza baking or handmade truffles classes with PCC; apples, caramels, and more through her private classes; and a free chat on "Baking with Books" through KCLS).
Laurie was gracious enough to share this recipe for White Chocolate & Lavender Biscotti. It's a great way to use lavender - the floral note is subtle but present, and the cookies bake up with that satisfying crispy texture one wants from a biscotti. A lovely cookie to enjoy with a cup of tea.
This recipe is straightforward and easy for even novice bakers to have success with. (Please note in the pictures above, our test batch was a bit compromised as we used foil instead of the parchment Laurie recommends. An object lesson in the need for your dough to sometimes have something to grip onto and to be cautious with substituting with recipes - especially baking ones! So please know the spread ends you see above are user error!)
Biscotti makes a lovely host/hostess present or nice holiday present, so you might want to bookmark this one for the holiday season. Thanks, Laurie!
White Chocolate and Lavender Biscotti
Yield: about 24 cookies
Recipe by Laurie Pfalzer of Pastry Craft
2 teaspoons dried lavender
2 ounces white chocolate pieces
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour or pastry flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a food processor, combine the lavender, white chocolate and sugar and process until granular, but not powder.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder with a whisk. Add the white chocolate and lavender mixture and whisk to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg, water and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. When the dough starts to hold together, use damp hands to gently work the dough until it comes together in a ball. (If necessary, add a little more water until the dough just comes together.)
Remove the dough from the bowl. Line the baking sheet with parchment. Again, with damp hands, form the dough into two logs on the parchment, each 10 inches long. Gently flatten the log with your hands until the dough is about 1 ½ inches wide. Smooth the top so that it is even.
Chill the logs until they are cold and firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake the logs at 325°F for 25-35 minutes until it is firm and light golden. Lower the oven to 275°F. (The baked logs can be wrapped and frozen up to 1 week.)
After the logs have cooled completely, slice them across in ½ inch pieces. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cut side up, and bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes. (The cookies should dry, but not brown.) Remove the cookies from the oven, turn them over, and bake the cookies for another 10 minutes. Cool the cookies on a baking rack.
Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.