Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California (26 page)

In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg. Stir in the flour until just blended. Mix in the apricots, almonds, and pine nuts.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a log, about 12 inches long and 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the dough log crosswise into ¼- to ½-inch-thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

To ice the cookies, pour the confectioners’ sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in the Amaretto until the mixture is just thin enough to drizzle.

Place the wire rack with the cookies on it over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, at least 30 minutes.

Espresso Caramel Bars

Most of my desserts are fairly low-maintenance to assemble, so I hesitated to include the recipe for these in this book. But they are so incredibly irresistible and delicious—imagine a homemade candy bar with a chewy caramel center—that I decided it would be unfair not to. Take care not to overcook the caramel, so it stays soft and chewy and doesn’t become hard and brittle. Investing in a candy thermometer takes away the guesswork and ensures a perfect outcome.

For the crust: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 7 × 10¾-inch nonstick baking pan with cooking spray. Lay a 6 × 18-inch piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing the excess
paper to overhang the long sides. Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and brown sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until the mixture is combined. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form an even layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.

For the caramel: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240°F, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel over the cooled crust. Allow the caramel layer to cool and set at room temperature, about 30 minutes.

For the chocolate layer: Combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl and place over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the pan does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the espresso powder. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer and smooth the edges with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with the sea salt, if using. Allow the chocolate layer to harden at room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.

Using a warm, damp knife, carefully cut around the edges of the dessert to free it from the pan. Using the paper overhang as handles, carefully remove it from the pan. Cut into 1-inch bars and store refrigerated in an airtight container. Allow the refrigerated bars to come to room temperature for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Cornmeal, or polenta, is a staple ingredient in the Italian pantry and is used for both savory and sweet dishes. This not-too-sweet cake combines cranberries and orange, which remind me of the holidays—which is when I most often make this. It’s one of those versatile cakes you can serve for breakfast, with tea in the afternoon, or at the end of a big meal topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I like to make a few extra to give as hostess gifts.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Place 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture in a small bowl. Add the chopped cranberries and toss to coat.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the egg yolks and whole eggs, one at a time. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Using a spatula, gently fold in the cranberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan; smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake until the cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cake into wedges and serve. (The cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container.)

White Chocolate–Dipped Almond and Lemon Biscotti

Biscotti are probably the best-known Italian sweet, and every region has its own specialty, from very simple ones flavored with anise seed to those made with flavored doughs or packed with fruits and nuts. I grew up eating biscotti made with hazelnuts and sometimes dipped in chocolate, and much as I love those, this combination of almond and lemon has become my new fave. They are crunchy and subtly flavored. For a dinner party I dip them in melted white chocolate to make them a little more special.