Gingerbread Biscotti

How do you cope with cold winter weather? I have a ritual of making a cup of hot tea in the afternoon.  Sometimes I'll light up the gas fireplace and read, or crank up the oven to make some delicious biscotti or tea cookie (so I can dip it into my tea, of course). It's my way of creating Hygge - the Scandinavian idea of crafting coziness from little pleasures.

Don't these just beckoned to be dipped? 


So Old Man Winter - bring it on - because I'm armed and ready (to bake). Just don't stick around too long.

Gingerbread Biscotti
From Southern Living Christmas 2006
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup almonds


Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars together in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at time, beating well between additions. Add molasses and mix well. In another bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients except the almonds. Add to the egg mixture and beat just until combined. Stir in almonds. Divide the dough in half. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment or Silpat liner, make two flattened logs approximately 2 inches wide and 1 inch high. Use water-dampened or floured hands if dough is too sticky to form the logs. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300. Transfer the logs to a cutting board (don't slice on the Silpat) and slice the logs on a diagonal at 1 inch intervals with a large serrated knife. Place the slices, cut side down, back onto the cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes on each side. The biscotti will become more crispy as they cool. Store in an airtight container.