I get emails from Biaggi’s Ristorante every once in a while.  It’s usually the run of the mill, “check out our new…” email, but this one was different.  There was a recipe inside!  I had all of the ingredients except for the sliced almonds so D bought some for me on his way back from work.

I made mine a little too thick so I had to cook them longer.  I missed the point of doneness and just barely overcooked them.  D still liked the taste and I packed up the nicest ones in goody bags for extended family.

Biscotti di Prato Recipe

Yield: 2 dozen

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.

Add extract, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon an mix

Slowly add flour on low speed

Stir in almonds and mix for 30 seconds

Form the dough into a 12″x3″ log on a parchment paper line baking sheet

Baking until lightly golden (40 minutes)

Cool for 30 minutes

Cut at an angle into 3/4″ slices

Reduce oven to 300 degrees

Arrange slices cut side down and bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown

Transfer from baking sheet and allow to cool for about 1 hour.  Yum!

If you need some ideas for Christmas baking, look no further!  For the next few days, I’ll be posting recipes to help you out!

This recipe is slightly altered from Post Punk Kitchen Blog’s recipe.  Their Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows recipe is wonderful!  I’m not a fan of chocolate cookies, but the peanut butter definitely makes them tasty!  The recipe is originally vegan, but can also be made with cow’s milk – vegan or not, the cookies taste the same.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

Ingredients:

Chocolate dough:

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons non-dairy or cow’s milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa or more dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter, crunchy or creamy style
• 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar (I accidentally used regular and it still turned out fine)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons creamer, non-dairy milk, or cow’s milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoas, baking soda and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.

Make the filling: In another mixing bowl beat together peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons milk or creamer, and vanilla extract to form a moist but firm dough. If mix is too dry, stir in remaining tablespoon of milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. (Wash hands thoroughly…)

Create the centers/filling of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter mix into 24 balls.

Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a disc and place a peanut butter ball in the center.

Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll the chocolate ball into an smooth ball between your palms.

Place on a sheet of waxed paper and repeat with remaining doughs. If desired gently flatten cookies a little, but this is not necessary.

Place dough balls on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and let cookies set for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to complete cooling. Store cookies in tightly covered container. If desired warm cookies in a microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.

These taste amazing with a glass of milk!