Passover Mandel Bread

Kamish Brodt, Biscotti, Biscotios, Mandel Bread ^[1]are some of the names we attach to a genre of simple,toasted and dried out cookies.  Many contain nusts and most are for dunking in coffee if you like.  This recipe came to me via my sister Carole.  Carole’s dear friend, Esther Ritchie has been making these forever.  They are crisp, cinnamon and sugar dusted, and perfect with coffee or tea, or aside a scoop of sorbet.  There is no leavening and no flour in these biscotti, so they are kosher for Passover ^[2].  They are dairy free, parve. ^[3]

I will share some pointers for best results.  I have a special, very sharp, serrated knife ^[4]I keep reserved for slicing biscotti straight out of the oven before toasting.  The dough is easiest to work with if you refrigerate it overnight.  I baked these on a baking sheet with a silpat liner with great success.  I keep a mini food chopper (Cuisinart mini-prep) in reserve for just nuts.  This way the food chopper doesn’t have lingering odors of spices or garlic.

3 eggs

¾ cup pure cane sugar (like C&H)

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons potato starch

¾ cup finely chopped raw almonds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup cake meal

¼ cup matzo meal

Bowl of cold water

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place a silpat liner in a light colored baking sheet.  If you don’t have a silpat, just use the baking sheet without one.  In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, and oil.  Whisk until well blended.  Measure the dry ingredients in another bowl to combine.  Then add all the dry ingredients to the eggs and sugar.  Mix well.  ^[5]

The dough will be sticky, but stiff.  If you feel it is too sticky you can add a tablespoon or so more of cake meal.  Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or up to overnight.  ^[6]

Preheat the oven to 350º.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and dipping your hands in cold water first, form the dough into two logs about 9-10 inches long and 2 inches wide.  Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet.  Place the baking sheet in the oven.  Bake until golden about 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven.  The logs may appear a little cracked.  Lower the oven temperature to 250º . ^[7]

^[8]Using a long spatula, gently remove the logs from the baking sheet to a cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, slice the cookies across on the diagonal about 3/8 of an inch thick.  Very gently transfer the Kamish Brodt back to the baking sheet and place in the oven.  Toast them for about 1 hour and 15 minutes and then turn the oven off and leave them in the oven until they cool off.

Store Kamish Brodt in an airtight container. ^[9]