Amy Ruth

 The Holiday Season kick off has started with a BANG![SinglePic not found]

 Boy Howdy, it was fun  to stop by and visit many of the TWD Bloggers showing off their talents and passions for decorating.. last week.   I’ll leave it to you to make the discoveries on your own by just clicking here to start checking out the marvels of Tuesdays with Dorie baking group.  Make sure you check in each week with all the bakers here for your holiday baking ideas.  Better yet, get your own book by Dorie Greenspan, Baking from My Home to Yours.

Rugelach was this weeks baking challenge.  Grace of Piggy’s Cooking Journal made this very timely choice.  If you would like to read about how simply they are made just click here or on her blog name.

Who thinks these might be a handy holiday cookie?  this is where all hands are high in the air….yippee!!  

Here is an opportunity to double a recipe, bake for your blog, bake for a friend or neighbor, or put some prepared dough in the freezer (if you have space).  Optionally, either in the disc stage or filled and rolled.  I can guarantee that they won’t get lost in the freezer.  They are simply way too delicious to remain in the abyss ignored.[SinglePic not found]

Its really neat to be able to make variations, so as Dorie writes this recipe, the dough is divided into two pieces.  I used fig preserves, cinnamon, pecans, and currants on one of the pieces of dough for the first 16 cookies.  Dorie made a really great suggestion  for ease of cutting the dough into wedges with a pizza cutter.  That one stopped me dead in my tracks.  Because, ladies and gentlemen, I use a wonderful silicone mat made for rolling out pastry dough.  I put on my thinking cap and remembered my wonderful OXO pastry bench scraper is the perfect solution.  It will preserve the condition of the silicone mat preventing cuts from sharp objects.  Whew!  A close call.

The second piece of dough I flavored with honey, cinnamon and dark brown sugar to mimic cinnamon rolls.  My family has a “thing” for cinnamon rolls.  Unfortunately for my hips.  : )  MMGood … or not?

I learned that as written using the 1/8 cup of preserves on the first piece proved to be just perfect for these nice bite size, delicious morsels.    They baked beautifully and held their filling quite nicely.  However, the second piece of dough had a little problem pooling its filling on the silpat.  So a lot of it baked outside the Rugelach.  BooHoo.  Ah well, just another lesson in paradise.  Unfortunately, I forgot  the egg bath followed by more sugar, so I resorted to dust with powdered sugar instead.  That worked fine for an alternative solution for more sweetness.  Next time I’m pretty sure I won’t forget.  Funny how that works.

Overall, very easy to make.  Can be totally made ahead and stored in the freezer for a quick bake-off.  They taste delicious.  Who doesn’t like home made pastry with sugar in it?

Hope you enjoyed.  Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  I read all my comments and just love knowing you came by.  So leave me a word or two and I’ll come by your place.  Too bad we can’t share a coffee and a few Rugelach.

just a little note:  my goodness even the second batch with cinnamon, sugar, honey  … and chai tea, are Yummo!  Just enjoying some right now.[SinglePic not found]

[SinglePic not found]Biscotti and I have never met.  I’ve never eaten Biscotti before until tonight, much less baked them.    Dorie, these are really great.  My impression of this new friend in the past was based on the petrified, probably up in years, character you typically bump into at you local coffee establishment.  I don’t mind old things, heck, I’m old, but something screams out mass production.  I’m all about the “made from scratch”, original designer label, designed and crafted with the best materials, kind of biscotti.    Sharing the love.  My handmade biscotti are  (the ones I haven’t eaten) packaged in clear cellophane sacks, tied with a colorful ribbon, ready to go “Make Friends.”

 My hubs told his brother tonight on the phone that its hard to loose weight around here no matter how hard you work out, because there is all this good cooking going on around the house.  To that I added, Oh My Goodness, Honey, you should see all the cooking groups out there in the blogosphere.  I just belong to ONE of them. Many foodie bloggers belong to multiple groups.   The blogosphere only knows about my baking, so far.  He just smiled.  Life is good.

Gretchen of Canela & Comino selected Lenox Almond Biscotti as this weeks recipe.  You can make friends with Lenox Biscotti, really… here.  Thank you so much for introducing us.  Its a pleasure knowing Biscotti.  If you are tempted by all the wonderful recipes included in Baking From My Home to Yours, you can run down to your local book store and have Dorie’s book for your very own or just click and shop.  [SinglePic not found]

A trip down Google Lane, provided me historical information about Biscotti.  Interesting thing, turns out many European countries have their own version and name for biscuits, twice baked.  I learned about the traditional flavors of anise and almonds.  Of course, since then they have evolved into a many splendored thing.

This time, I adhered to Dorie’s version with only a single addition and variation.  I had some dried cranberries in the pantry that were begging to be included.  Since they needed a little fluffing up I took Dorie’s advice on page 92 to steep and flame the fruit.  I did so and used some Amaretto for the “flaming.” Also, I used slivered almonds rather than sliced because thats what I had on hand.    

Again, following Dorie’s suggestion for the “controversial baking time” was really pretty much on target for me and my oven.  Because I was dealing with a completely different concept I realized I needed a baseline experience and so I only added 5 minutes to the second baking time.  I think they became a little more golden than was ideal.  So next time I will adjust for that.   After they cooled they firmed up nicely and they tasted delicious.  I had a cup of chai tea with mine.  Scrumptous!!!  Tomorrow, Sumatra coffee. (then the gym)  Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit.  I read all comments  and make friends easily. [SinglePic not found]

Please join in the fun before the cutoff date of October 31.  Tuesdays with Dorie baking group to view the blogroll of all the baking maniacs.  We have fun baking desserts together.

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