This was a trouble-free recipe. I always worry when I'm cooking in someone else's kitchen that I won't have everything I need, but in this case, I was actually better off baking at Mom's than I would have been at home. The instructions say to bake the sliced biscotti on wire racks, rather than baking sheets. The only racks I have at home are coated in black--I guess they're nonstick??--and there's no chance I'd put them in the oven. I've made other biscotti recipes before, and none of them ever seem to work quite right. This recipe, on the other hand, did exactly what it was supposed to. The dough sliced easily into nice, thin slabs, without everything falling apart. They baked up crispy, and looked perfect.
And then I tasted one.
I MUST have used the wrong measuring spoon for the baking soda. It was all that I could taste. My mom says she doesn't know what I'm talking about, and that the biscotti are delicious. It's possible that my taste buds are just oversensitive to baking soda flavor, but I don't know how she can not taste it, and I truly think I added too much. I remember thinking, "Wow, those puffed up a lot" when I pulled the loaves out of the oven. None of the biscotti recipes I've made previously seemed to rise much in the oven. Part of me is kind of hoping that one other Dorista had the same experience, so that I feel less crazy.
Additionally, I don't think the amaretto added enough almond flavor. Next time I try this--and I will try it again, because I am so befuddled about that baking soda--I'll add some extract.
The texture was right. The workability of the dough was right. The ease of throwing it together was right. The look was right. The only thing wrong was the damn baking soda. Bummer. Hey, at least Mom likes them.
For the full recipe, check out our hosts for this week: Jodi of Homemade and Wholesome and Katrina of Baking and Boys
Hey, if mom is on board, they must have been good :-)
ReplyDeleteI wasn't going to risk throwing any of my cooling racks in the oven either. They all have rubber resty feet thingies. Didn't seem like a smart idea...
My daughter is with me this week and we are making our biscotti tomorrow. I think we'll make ours with pistachios rather than hazelnuts. Now I am sorta bummed about the baking soda but will be sure I measure very carefully. I have never successfully baked biscotti. Here's to success tomorrow and here's to your Mom who thought yours tasted wonderful.
ReplyDeleteGood thing mom like them. I skipped this week because I wasn't in a biscotti kind of mood. Though, I like the different way of blanching the hazelnuts.
ReplyDeleteYour biscotti does look good. After wathching the you tube video on this recipe, I expected mine to be bigger like yours.
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