How many times is a kindness extended to you and a grateful “thank you!” just isn’t quite enough? I don’t know about you but it happens to me quite often. From your manicurist who graciously fits you in for that emergency mani when she clearly doesn’t have the time to the seamstress at your dry cleaner who will have your LBD back to you altered and pressed in time for the funeral your weight gain didn’t take into consideration. These acts of generosity are evident time and again in my day-to-day life and in the lives of my loved ones. My 93-year-old father has a whole support group who work at Publix and make the quality of his life much better from engaging him in conversation to helping him choose the most nutritious almond milk. Kesha and David can’t replace my mother but their attentions make him feel valued and respected. I can certainly tip the skycap who didn’t charge me when my suitcase was four pounds over last week but I don’t have the money to do that for someone I deal with on a weekly basis. That’s when I put together a pretty bag of goodies. Here in Boston a certain dental office bent over backwards to take care of us during a little “cosmetic” emergency. I wanted to say thank you not only to the dentist who saved the day but also to his staff who got us in ASAP and treated us with the utmost warmth and concern. I thought most definitely wine for the kind doctor and how about a sweet treat for the wonderful ladies at the front desk? Our apartment is fabulous but I am really limited as to cooking and baking tools. I brought my knives and sharpener from home and picked up a few essentials on Newbury Street…bowls, spatulas etc. I always set aside an empty wine bottle in the kitchen in the event I need a rolling-pin. But I don’t have a food processor or hand mixer. I decided on biscotti since I don’t need any special equipment, they’re easy to prepare and travel well. Dunk them in coffee or vin santo. Grab one for breakfast or a snack on the fly. This recipe produces a firm biscotti but not one that will break a tooth. They seem a bit soft when taken out of the oven for the final cooling but will harden sufficiently by the time they’re completely cool. Enjoy them and thank you!
Lemon Lavender Biscotti dipped in White Chocolate
- 2 lemons, zest both and juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon dried EDIBLE lavender flowers, rough chop optional
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 8 ounces white chocolate
- In a large bowl combine lemon zest and juice, sugar, butter, lemon and vanilla extracts and eggs. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate bowl mix flour, lavender, baking powder and salt.
- Add flour mixture to lemon-egg mixture and mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut dough into equal halves and spray a little non-stick pan spray on hands to keep dough from sticking.
- Form dough into rectangular logs measuring roughly 11 X 4 X 1. Smooth tops and sides.
- Bake 25 minutes and cool on racks for 10-15 minutes.
- With a bread knife or serrated knife cut logs on the diagonal about 1 1/2″ thick.
- Reduce heat to 325°, place cookies cut side up back on parchment lined baking sheets and bake 5 minutes.
- Turn over cookies baking the other cut side 5 more minutes.
- Cool on wire racks. Cookies will seem soft when just out of oven but will firm up as they cool.
- Melt white chocolate over double boiler. When chocolate has almost but not quite melted completely drizzle over cookies or dip in one end of each cookie. Or dip one cut side. Place on parchment paper to set. If white chocolate cools and thickens while working with it place back in double boiler and stir until warm and easy to work with.
The Irreverent Kitchen 
The recipe for Lemon Lavender Biscotti dipped in White Chocolate looks great. I print off recipes and file them in books; however, I like to print off a picture of the recipe itself and for some reason, this picture does not print. Is there a way I can get a picture of this recipe to print?
Darlene
Darlene, at the bottom of the post hit the share button and the print option should pop up.