Gingerbread-Date Biscotti
And a tempering lesson
I’m going to keep it short today because there’s a lot of recipe to get to and I know you’re all busy. I hope you haven’t made all your baking decisions already, so you can consider this late entry from the cookie lab! I’ve been working on this recipe all month, and it finally reached peak craveability. I like them so much that I made an extra batch so I could serve them at my New Year’s Eve dinner (I had already eaten most of the previous batch, I’m sad to say).
This is a fun family baking project for any time over the holidays, or perfect for a last-minute gift. If you don’t have time to make an assortment, these make a fine gift all on their own (just like the Twice Baked Pecan Shortbread do). They taste like the spiciest gingerbread, but in the form of a crunchy biscotti (which no cookie lineup is complete without in my opinion) studded with chewy dates and crispy walnuts. These got better and better with every iteration, and adding the chocolate dip took them over the top, of course. Is anything better without chocolate? If you are in that minority who disagrees, feel free to skip the dip — they are delicious without it too.
I urge you to try to temper the chocolate (complete instructions below), even if it will be your first try. That hard and snappy coating with its shiny surface is just so satisfying to look at and to bite into, and it makes it so much easier to pack these or pile them up on a platter. It takes a little elbow grease, like whipping cream by hand, but I hope you’ll try it.
This will be the last Susanality of 2022, but I’ll be back in your inboxes the first Friday of 2023. I hope you have a lovely weekend, joy-filled holidays, and a Happy New Year!
Gingerbread-Date Biscotti
Makes about 30
The ingredients list may look long, but it’s mostly pantry stuff. The long list of spices is essential for that true gingerbread flavor and aroma. The logs will spread quite a bit, so make sure to space them on the baking sheet to allow for that.