Text 23653, 158 rader
Skriven 2011-12-18 10:41:38 av Janis Kracht (1:261/38)
Ärende: FIDONEWS Vol 28 No. 51 Food for Thought
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                           F O O D  for T H O U G H T
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     More Christmas Cookies
     By Janis Kracht, 1:261/38, janis@filegate.net

     Peanut Butter Cookies
     Who ever thought that such a mundanely named cookie could
     be so good!  This is truly the best peanut butter cookie
     ever.

     2 cups peanut butter
     2 cups sugar
     2 eggs
     1 tsp.  vanilla extract
     (that's it, really!)

     Combine the sugar, the eggs, vanilla and the peanut butter.
     Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Use a
     fork to crosshatch the tops of the cookies and flatten them
     out a bit.  Bake 10 minutes at 350F.
     ===
     Anisette Biscotti

     2 cups sugar
     2 tablespoons anise seeds
     2 tablespoons anise extract
     2  tablespoons water
     1/2 pound margarine
     2 tablespoons baking powder
     6 eggs
     5 1/2 cups flour

     Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside.
     Melt the margarine.

     In a large bowl, pour the margarine over the sugar.  Add
     the anise seeds, extract and water and beat.  Add the eggs
     and beat again.  Add the flour mixture to margarine and
     sugar mixture and mix well.  Refrigerate the dough for 3
     hours or overnight.

     To form the biscotti, shape 8 or so long rolls. Flatten
     them and place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350F for about
     20 minutes.  Slide the rolls off the cooking sheet, and
     slice the rolls diagonally.  Place the sliced biscotti back
     on the pans, cut side up, and return the pan to the oven.
     Allow to brown, then turn the biscotti over and brown the
     other side.

     ===
     Mom's Chocolate Pasta Nests (Nidi di Carnevale)
     6 Servings

     Use pasta machine for this recipe, like the one made by
     Atlas to roll out the dough.

     The Pasta:
     2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
     2 extra large eggs
     pinch of salt
     2 Tablespoons semi-sweet cocoa powder
     5 Tablespoons granulated sugar
     2 quarts vegetable oil for frying pasta
     The Sauce:
     2 cups honey
     6 Tablespoons brandy
     4 ounces chopped, blanched almonds

     Make a mound of flour on flat surface,  create a well in
     center of the mound.  Add eggs, salt, cocoa powder and
     sugar to well.  Mix eggs with a fork gradually adding flour
     from all sides of the well.  Work dough with your hands,
     and knead on a floured surface 2-3 minutes.  Flatten ball
     of dough to 1/2" thickness and dust with flour.  Put dough
     through a pasta machine at widest setting.  Flour the
     underside of the dough lightly.  Fold dough into thirds and
     press lightly from the center to remove air pockets.  Pass
     dough through the roller again at widest setting and then
     fold as above.  Repeat the rolling and folding 8 - 10 times
     or until dough is smooth and elastic.  Move rollers to
     narrowest setting and stretch the dough.  Dust both sides
     with flour and feed dough through rollers again.  Repeat
     until dough is stretched to 1/16th inch thickness.  Cut
     dough into 6 equal lengths, and rest on clean towels until
     a thin film forms on the pasta.  When film forms, cut the
     sheets into thin noodles.  Make 6 separate mounds of
     noodles on towels.  Do not let pasta dry out, or it will
     break.  Heat oil to 375F in a deep fryer.  Place one mound
     of pasta into deep-fryer basket, and hold pasta in the oil
     2 minutes, until the pasta is golden and crisp.  Remove
     from oil.  Invert nests to drain on paper towels, bottom
     up.  Repeat the frying with the other 5 mounds of pasta,
     inverting them and draining well.

     Combine honey and brandy in a heavy saucepan and mix well
     over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon
     until the mixture comes to a boil.  Simmer 2 minutes and
     remove the pan from the heat.  Cool mixture to lukewarm.
     Transfer nests, bottom side down onto 6 serving dishes.
     Sprinkle chopped almonds over each one.  Using a small
     ladle, cover each nest with the warm honey mixture.  Serve
     warm.

     ===
     Mom's Torrone (Nougat)

     About 2 1/2 pounds
     1 cup blanched filberts
     2 cans (4 1/2 -ounce size) blanched whole almonds
     2 cups sugar
     1 cup light corn syrup
     1/2 cup honey
     1/4 teaspoon salt
     2 eggs whites
     2 teaspoons vanilla extract
     1/4 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature

     Preheat oven to 350F and then toast filberts and almonds on
     a cookie sheet in the oven for 10 minutes.  In a 3 quart
     heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey, salt
     and 1/4 cup water.  Heat and stir over medium heat until
     the sugar dissolves.  Continue cooking without stirring
     until the mixture reaches 252F on a candy thermometer , or
     until a small amount in cold water forms a hard ball (hard
     ball stage).

     In a large bowl beat the egg whites until stiff at high
     speed.  In a thin stream, pour 1/4 of the hot syrup int
     the egg whites, beating constantly at high speed.  Beat
     the egg whites and syrup for 5 minutes - the eggs whites
     should be stiff and hold their shape as in meringue.

     Cook the rest of the syrup to 315-318F , or until a small
     amount in cold water forms brittle threads.  Pour the
     remaining syrup into the meringue in a thin stream, beating
     constantly at high speed.  Continue beating until the
     mixture is stiff and holds it shape.  Add the vanilla and
     butter and beat until thick again, about five minutes.
     Add the toasted nuts with a wooden spoon.  Turn the
     mixture onto a buttered 11"x7"x1 1/4" pan.  Smooth the top
     with a spatula.  Refrigerate until firm.  Loosen all
     around the edges and remove from the pan.  Cut into 1
     1/2"x1" pieces.  Wrap each piece in wax paper and
     refrigerate.

     FIDONEWS Vol 28 No 51              Page 3          December 19th 2011




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