Grandma Selma's Mandelbread
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, but not greasy
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 ounces sliced almonds
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
To prepare the dough:
Combine flour and baking powder and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add
flour and baking powder to egg mixture, mixing only until the flour
is incorporated. Do not overwork the dough.
Divide dough in half. Add almonds to one half and chocolate chips to
the other. Refrigerate the dough for several hours or overnight.
To bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove dough from refrigerator and wet hands slightly. Roll each
piece of dough into a 2-inch-wide log. Place logs on a
parchment-paper -covered, nonstick or greased sheet pan. To prevent
overbaking the undersides of the logs, place another sheet pan
upside down under the one the logs are on.
Bake logs until medium golden and firm, 25 to 35 minutes, turning
tray once during baking to ensure even color and temperature. Place
the sheet pan on a rack and let the logs cool for about 10 minutes.
When the logs are still very warm but not so hot that they crumble,
carefully cut the logs into slices about 3/4 inch thick, using a
very sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. Let these
slices cool completely.
Bake the sliced mandelbrot again, cut side down, at 375 degrees on
doubled sheet pans. After 5 minutes of baking, turn the slices over
and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the slices are light
golden and feel slightly firm to the touch.
Let slices cool completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container
for up to 10 days.
Yield: About 3 dozen cookies.
Note Neat hint for ensuring the bottom of the mandelbread log does
not overbake. She suggests putting a second baking sheet upside down
under the one the logs are on. I have read recipes which claim the
slightly burnt flavor of the underside of mandelbread slices is part
of the accepted flavor of the dish. I'd rather eliminate the
problem, and Ring's suggestion does that nicely.
Source: WALKING ON WALNUTS: MY GRANDMOTHER'S RECIPES FOR REUGLACH,
ROMANCE, AND SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD Nancy Ring |