Brownie Biscotti

An easy, chocolate version of an Italian favorite.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon water


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Dough will be stiff, so mix in the last bit by hand. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
3. Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape into 9x2x1 inch loaves. Place onto baking sheet 4 inches apart. Brush with mixture of water and yolk.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes.
5. Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1 inch slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet, placing them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until dry. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

Try this easy recipe for creamy panna cotta served with a simple raspberry sauce.

Ingredients:

Panna Cotta:

3 gelatine leaves
250ml/9fl oz milk
250ml/9fl oz double cream
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, seeds scraped out
25g/1oz sugar

Raspberry Sauce:

175g/6oz sugar
175ml/6fl oz water
splash cherry liqueur
350g/12oz raspberries

Garnish:
4 sprigs fresh mint
icing sugar, to dust


Directions:

1. For the panna cotta, soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water until soft.
2. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds and sugar into a pan and bring to a simmer.
3. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
4. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, then add to the pan and take off the heat. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.
5. Divide the mixture among four ramekins and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, until set.
6. For the sauce, place the sugar, water and cherry liqueur into a pan and bring to the boil.
7. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
8. Take the pan off the heat and add half the raspberries. Using a hand blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
9. Pass the sauce through a sieve into a bowl and stir in the remaining fruit.
10. To serve, turn each panna cotta out onto a serving plate. Spoon over the sauce and garnish with a sprig of mint. Dust with icing sugar

Italian Wedding Cake

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker)
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (recommended: McCormick)
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (recommended: McCormick)
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained (recommended: Dole)
• 1/2 cup sweetened flake coconut (recommended: Baker's)
• 2 cups chopped pecans, divided (recommended: Diamond)
• 2 (16-ounce) cans cream cheese frosting (recommended: Betty Crocker)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Lightly coat 2 (8-inch) cake pans with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, buttermilk, egg whites, and extracts. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in crushed pineapple, coconut, and 1 cup pecans. Divide batter into 2 prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 31 to 36 minutes or until tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then turn out on to wire racks to cool completely.


In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1 cup pecans and frosting. With a serrated knife, cut both cakes horizontally to make 4 layers. Frost the top of each layer with 1/2 cup of frosting and stack on top of the next layer. Use remaining frosting to frost the entire outside of cake. Slice and serve.