What’d You Do Last Weekend?

Heading to a party where there will be lots of wine, and not sure what to take? How about some simple savory cookies - biscotti and sables made for wine pairing?

almond

Almond Biscotti

Posted by jenny on 02/28/2010

No cookie book would be complete without an almond biscotti recipe, and this one does the genre justice. Perfect for eating fresh or storing longer term in the freezer, almond biscotti make a solid cookie exchange offering. Rum and almond extract make appearances here too, with lingering tropical results.

A few notes about this recipe:

Rather than use 2 T amaretto, I substituted 2 T Cruzan Blackstrap Rum and 1 tsp almond extract. The blackstrap rum has an even stronger caramel flavor than regular spiced rum.

Chewy Almond and Cherry Bars

Posted by jenny on 01/06/2010

This bar cookie from Cookies and Brownies is so simple you can probably make it from ingredients you have on hand right now. But if you go for the cherry and almond combination, you'll get a chewy frangipane base spiked with tangy cherries - perfect as a breakfast snack or for a late afternoon sugar craving.

Almond Macaroons

Posted by jenny on 11/29/2009

I've seen a lot of posts recently about macarons. The quintessential French cookie, these are often flavored, colored and sandwiched. Combined with others, the displays of these cookies can be dazzling.

Martha's Tender Mandelbrot

Posted by jenny on 11/04/2009

I'd never eaten mandelbrot before but as soon as I finished baking them, I realized they were similar to a Greek cookie (paximathia) I grew up eating. This particular recipe is a straightforward almond cookie, low in sugar, perfectly paired with tea or coffee.

This formula calls for Wondra - which I happen to have - but I'm not convinced that product will always be available (and I'm not sure how different the texture would be without it). These cookies are dry but tender, and they do drop a lot of crumbs when you move them around.