Crafty: Update

I thought I'd do a little follow up to the Christmas craft post so I could remember some of this for next year.

HOMEMADE FOOD GIFTS

Enamored with both almonds and Italy, I ended up making amaretti and biscotti (recipe follows, technically cantuccini) to give away. Both are easy to make and quite tasty.

I received a few very yummy and clever gifts. Husband declares that the candied orange peels are "chock full of awesome" and "need to be taken away from me." (Note on recipe: remove from syrup, roll in sugar to make this version).

And I'm totally copying this idea next year: dried herbs from the garden, packaged in cute little jars from Penzey's. Good thing AP gave us a little primer on drying herbs!

Speaking of AP, another fabulous food gift that she gave me a few years ago was homemade cream cheese, dusted with curry powder. Husband and I still swoon at the memory.

OTHER FOOD GIFTS I'm giving this year:

Ames Farm makes some tasty honey, and has a cute gift set of 5 for $15.

Cheese - who wouldn't enjoy a nice selection of local cheeses from the coop? (My dad, I hope).

Clementines
Green and Black's chocolate bars

And even though it's usually awkward and unsuccessful, I'm always trying to tie on interesting things on top of my gifts. Two ideas: Nut Goodies (local and festively wrapped) and mandarins (with the little leaves attached).

Happy holidays!

Almond Biscotti of Tuscany (Cantuccini)
modified from Lynne Rossetto Kasper's recipe, printed in the Star Tribune, for those with a food chopper/small food processor and no large Cuisinart-style food processor

Makes 30 to 40 cookies.
• 14 oz. whole blanched almonds, toasted
• Generous 1 1/2 tbsp. shredded lemon zest
• 2 generous tsp. shredded orange zest
• 1 1/2 c. bleached flour (measured by lightly spooning flour into the cup and leveling with a straight edge)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 2 1/2 tbsp. clear corn syrup
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour a large cookie sheet. In a food chopper, process almonds until coarsely ground (like coarse sand) with a few larger chunks remaining. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in both the zests, the flour, and the baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix the salt, pepper, eggs, egg whites, corn syrup, sugar and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients, mixing only long enough to blend. Dough will be a dense batter -- do not overmix.

Using a rubber spatula and pastry scraper to help you, spread the batter on the baking sheet, shaping it into two 16-inch-long loaves about 3 inches wide and 1 inch high. Space about 3 inches apart.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven, turning heat up to 325 degrees. Cool the biscotti 10 minutes, slice crossways 1/2 -inch thick, and turn each piece on its side. Bake 12 more minutes, turn over the cookies and bake another 15 minutes. Cool the biscotti completely on a rack. They are best eaten the second day and later.