Biscuit in English, biscotti in Italian, mandelbrot in German and kamish brot in Ukrainian – all are versions of the same twice-baked cookie. Though now associated with a frothy cappuccino, biscotti date back to ancient times, and because they were flat, dry, and twice baked, they kept well, making them the perfect sustenance for travelers, soldiers, and sailors. Roman legions partook of the biscuits, while the Roman scholar Pliny claimed that “Parthian bread” would keep for centuries. Under Louis XIV the biscuits were known as “stone bread.
The name biscotti stems from the Latin “bis” meaning twice, and “coctus” meaning cooked – literally means “twice cooked.” The cookies often contain nuts as reflected in the German variety, mandelbrot, where “mandel” means almond, and “brodt” means bread. Mandelbrot, is of Germanic heritage and is traditionally associated with Eastern European Jews.
Biscotti, mandelbrot, or kamish brot, whatever the nationality, these little treasures are tasty with coffee, tea, or even a glass of wine.
Black Sesame Mandelbrot
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup black sesame seeds or pecans
Sugar & Cinnamon Topping
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- Spray a baking sheet wtih cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 ℉.
- Mix dries in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, and vanilla and mix well. Add egg mixture and sesame seeds to dries and mix well.
- Place dough on floured board and knead until smooth and no longer sticky. (The dough will seem very sticky and oily at first.)
- Divide dough into equal thirds and shape each into a log about 10 to 12 inches long and 2-3 inches in diameter. Place logs on prepared baking sheet. Press down on the logs to flatten just slightly into ovals. Can bake immediately or refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Bake for 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cut each log into 1/2-inch slices on the diagonal. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for 10 minutes longer.
- Cool on the pan before separating slices. Store or freeze in an airtight container. If you make them well ahead of time, be sure to bake them a third time for 5-10 minutes in a 350 F oven before serving. After this baking, they will remain crispy until they are devoured!
