Prep Time : 30 Minutes | Cook Time : 40 Minutes | Total Time : 3 hours | Difficulty : Easy
Hello my lovelies! Long time no bake. You’ll be pleased to know that my jaw no longer aches, my stitches are out and I am only nursing a scrape on my hand and that was inflicted by carelessness. There’s no helping some people. Today’s recipe is one I made for the first time at my parents’ while I was having a break. I love biscotti and as you know I am firmly on team crispy so these were always going to be a hit. These Israeli cookies from one of my favourite new books (Breaking Breads by Uri Scheft) are the same concept but the sweetness is dialled down and they’re perfect for snacking. The process is longer because of some chilling time but overall is easier. This mixing is just stirring in a bowl. These are a new favourite to go on rotation in my household. I have made them with both vegetable oil (which is traditional) and with melted butter – I prefer them with oil as the flavour is lighter and cleaner but you can use butter in a pinch. The dough is stickier when made with oil because oil stays liquid at room and fridge temperature but just flour your hands when you’re shaping the dough and it will be fine.
In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, oil and extracts. Just mix it until it’s blended, don’t add any air.
Add the icing sugar and whisk just until smooth. You can totally do these whisking steps with a fork.
Switch to a spoon and add the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix gently until almost combined. Add the pistachios and finish mixing. It is a soft sticky dough.
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of baking paper and form a rough log about 20cm (8 inches) long. Flour your hands a bit to help
Wrap the log tightly and chill for at least an hour. Overnight is fine depending on your cookie schedule. Heat the oven to 170C (335F). Line a baking sheet with a clean piece of baking paper.
Now that your dough is cold and easier to work with, lay it diagonally onto your baking sheet and with floured hands ease the log longer until it’s about 30 to 40 cms long (about a foot). You will still need to flour your hands a bit.
Pat it down so that it’s a scant inch high (2 to 2 1/2 cm) and a couple of inches across. It will slump and look like it can’t possibly be right but it is.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the log is firm when pressed in the centre. Transfer the log to a wire rack to cool. It should be luke warm when you slice it – too warm and it will be a bit soft and the nuts will tear through the dough, too cold and it can break up as you slice.
Use a sharp serrated knife to cut slices around a 1/2 inch thick (about 1 cm).
Lay the cookies on a wire rack – you can squish them up close – and set the rack over a baking sheet.
Bake the cookies on the rack for approximately 20 minutes more until they are lightly golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
Perfect with hot drinks, sweet custards, after dinner drinks and even cheeses.
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Pistachio Barouj
Prep Time : 30 mins | Cook Time : 40 mins | Total Time : 3 hours | Difficulty : Easy
Makes : 30 to 40 cookies
Light crisp cookies studded with pistachios – perfect for snacking anytime.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggs (in NZ size 6)
- 1/4 cup (65 grams) vegetable oil (or 5 tablespoons (65 grams) melted unsalted butter)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 + 1/3 cups (150 grams) loosely scooped icing sugar
- 1 + 3/4 cups (250 grams) all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (65 grams) shelled unsalted pistachios
– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients –
Equipment:
- Bowls and spoons
- Baking sheet lined with baking paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Additional baking paper for chilling
Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, oil and extracts. Just mix it until it’s blended, don’t add any air.
Add the icing sugar and whisk just until smooth. You can do these whisking steps with a fork.
Switch to a spoon and ddd the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix gently until almost combined. Add the pistachios and finish mixing. It is a soft sticky dough.
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of baking paper and form a rough log about 20cm (8 inches) long. Flour your hands a bit to help
Wrap the log tightly and chill for at least an hour. Overnight is fine. Heat the oven to 170C (335F). Line a baking sheet with a clean piece of baking paper.
Now that your dough is cold and easier to work with, lay it diagonally onto your baking sheet and with floured hands ease the log longer until it’s about 30 to 40 cms long (about a foot). You will still need to flour your hands a bit.
Pat it down so that it’s a scant inch high (2 to 2 1/2 cm) and a couple of inches across. It will slump and look like it can’t possibly be right but it is.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the log is firm when pressed in the centre. Transfer the log to a wire rack to cool. It should be luke warm when you slice it – too warm and it will be a bit soft and the nuts will tear through the dough, too cold and it can break up as you slice.
Use a sharp serrated knife to cut slices around a 1/2 inch thick (about 1 cm).
Lay the cookies on a wire rack – you can squish them up close – and set the rack over a baking sheet.
Bake the cookies on the rack for approximately 20 minutes more until they are lightly golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
Perfect with hot drinks, sweet custards, after dinner drinks and even cheeses.
Cook’s Notes:
- You can really flavour these cookies how you like – change the nuts, add dried fruits or flavourings – just remember that you need to be able to slice the baked cookie log so make sure your nut pieces aren’t too big and any other add-ins won’t catch the knife too much and break your cookies.
- If you make these with butter increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon as they are much sweeter made with butter. While dairy brings a richness and a flavour of it’s own it can mask other flavours.
– These cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days –
Adapted from Breaking Breads by Uri Scheft.
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