More times that I can count, I’ve asked one of my girlfriends what her favorite food is and with a sheepish smile, she’s asked me if coffee counts. Oh yes, and can she choose something sweet, too?
I write this with my favorite blanket thrown over my shoulders. The days are growing colder and darker and now is the perfect time to make our houses feel cozy. We need to light a candle, put on some good music and then bravely invite a friend and her kids in for a simple visit.
Before having 3 kids in five years, I thought that these visits needed to be fancy. Oh, I was so wrong. I can’t do fancy anymore, you guys. But, I can do real and I’ve found that when you keep it simple, you create an atmosphere that makes people feel like they belong.
For a cozy morning with a friend, all you need is a warm drink and something sweet for the side. This Gingerbread Biscotti will make your house smell amazing. Pair it with a warm cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and you’re set.
Gingerbread Biscotti
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
3/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup white chocolate chips, for drizzling
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together butter, sugar, eggs, and molasses. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; mix into egg mixture to form a stiff dough.
Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a roll the length of the cookie. Place rolls on cookie sheet, and pat down to flatten the dough to 1/2 inch thickness.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
When cool enough to touch, cut into 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. Place sliced biscotti on cookie sheet, and bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until toasted and crispy.
While the biscotti cools completely, melt white chocolate chips in a double broiler. Drizzle the white chocolate over the biscotti and then let it completely set.
