One of the more traditional desserts for the Jewish High Holidays is the Honey Cake. It's delicious by itself, but Paula Shoyer, who wrote the cookbook, Holiday Kosher Baker told Tonia's Kitchen about her idea for making the cake into little biscottis. It keeps the the famous taste of the cake, while giving it a more modern biscotti texture. And since it's base is a biscotti dough, you can really have fun with it, adding things cranberries or other fruits and candies. It's kind of like a choose-your-own adventure dessert!
Honey Cake Biscotti
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash salt
½ cup canola oil
½ cup honey
¼ cup brewed coffee or espresso
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a jellyroll pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Add the oil, honey, coffee and eggs, and mix gently to combine.
Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a log, 10 to 12 inches long by 4 inches wide, leaving 2 to 3 inches between each loaf. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the loaves are set and a little browned on the bottom.
Slide the parchment paper off the pan. Let the loaves sit for 5 minutes. Slice each loaf into ¾- to 1-inch slices. Place a new piece of parchment paper on the pan and place the cookies on it, cut side down. Bake for 5 more minutes.
Let cookies cool on the pan. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes about 30.
