Chocolate chip mandel bread

By á-10254

you’ve never had mandel bread, it’s a traditional Jewish cookie
similar to biscotti. Like biscotti, mandel bread is twice-baked and
crunchy. The main difference is that it’s made with more oil or butter
than biscotti, so the resulting cookie is a bit richer and softer. You
don’t need to dip it in coffee or tea to enjoy it — it’s delicious all
on it’s own. I should note that mandel bread (literally, almond bread)
is traditionally made with almonds but my grandma always made hers with
chocolate chips and walnuts, so that’s how I do it. Also, most mandel
bread recipes are non-dairy and call for oil (including my grandma’s),
but I use butter because it tastes better

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• with back edge of knife
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
• vegetables oil)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (use up to 1 cup if desired)
• 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon- sugar (combine 2 tablespoons sugar with 3/4
• teaspoon cinnamon)

Preparation

Step 1

.

Yield: 35-40 cookies




Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt,
cinnamon and nutmeg.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the melted butter, sugar,
eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat on medium speed until
creamy and pale yellow, a few minutes. Add the dry ingredients and mix
on low speed until just incorporated, then mix in the chocolate chips
and nuts (if using). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the
refrigerator to chill until firm, 1-2 hours (you can speed this up in
the freezer if you'd like).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment
paper. Shape the dough into 2 logs about 2 inches wide, making sure they
aren't too close together or too close to the edges of the pan. (If it's
still sticky, dust your hands with flour.) Bake for 25-30 minutes, or
until lightly golden. Turn the oven down to 250 degrees. Let the baked
logs cool for about 15 minutes, then slice them diagonally about every
3/4-inch. Flip the cookies on their sides (I squeeze them onto one
baking sheet but you can use two if necessary), then sprinkle half of
the cinnamon-sugar over top. Flip the cookies over and repeat with the
remaining cinnamon-sugar. Place the pan back in the oven (be sure you
turned temperature down to 250 degrees!) and cook until golden and
crisp, about an hour. Let cool, then store in airtight container. (Note:
cookies will get crunchier as they cool)