If it is the 12th day of Christmas, aka January 6th, it must be birthday time for I Sing In The Kitchen.

I can hardly believe that 3 years have passed since I started writing this little blog. It’s been great fun and, as always, I really appreciate you all for stopping by and for all the support and kind comments.

Keeping with the tradition of posting something gingerbread related on the 6th of January (the reason is explained here in my first post), I made some Gingerbread Biscotti.

These biscotti are jam packed little logs of goodness. They are strong with gingerbread flavor, studded with nuts and raisins, and dipped in a white chocolate glaze that is a lovely contrast to the spices. The little gingerbread men sprinkles give the biscotti such a cute look.

Gingerbread Biscotti

Ingredients:

¾ cup (100 grams) hazelnuts, (can also use pecans, almonds or walnuts)
1 cup (100 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
1¾ cups (225 grams) flour
¾ cup (160 grams) dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) unsulphured molasses
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (95 grams) dark or golden raisins
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3 Tbs vegetable oil
Gingerbread men sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until brown and fragrant and the skins are starting to peel. Remove from oven, place warm hazelnuts in a dish towel, roll up, and let the nuts ‘steam’ for five minutes. Then briskly rub the nuts, while still in the towel, to remove most of their skins. Set aside to cool, then coarsely chop. (Note: To toast pecans, walnuts, or almonds, bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until brown and fragrant.)

3. In a food processor, process ½ cup of the rolled oats until finely ground.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the ½ cup of finely ground oats, the remaining ½ cup of rolled oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses, oil, and vanilla.

6. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, and beat until combined. (The mixture was a bit crumbly, but came together after I kneaded it a bit by hand). Mix in the chopped hazelnuts and raisins.

7. Divide the dough in half. Form each half of dough into a log, about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart.

8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

9. Reduce oven temperature to 300℉.

10. Transfer the logs to a cutting board and cut into ¾ inch slices, on the diagonal. Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet.

11. Bake for 6 minutes, turn slices over, and bake for another 6 minutes or until dry and firm. Remove from oven and let cool.

12. Melt white chocolate chips and vegetable oil in the microwave. Dip the end of each biscotti into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with gingerbread men sprinkles. Cool on a piece of parchment paper. Can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

Recipe slightly adapted from Wives With Knives

We’ve got a snow day here. Well, more specifically, school was canceled due to horrendous downpours of freezing rain making the roads treacherous.

So, I’m happily snuggling with my son and my computer. I’m listening to my favorite songs and typing up my post while he watches The Walking Dead. The small pleasures of modern life.

This terrific cover of Mike Nesmith’s ‘Nine Times Blue’ by Bird Of Youth just came on. Somehow it perfectly fits my day in that it is so sad when I’m feeling so happy.

“And now, I feel like such a fool
For making you crawl back to me
But you did it with such love”

Check out Bird Of Youth on the band’s Website, where you can learn of an upcoming gig in Brooklyn and buy their music.

Cheers!