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Chocolate Chip-Walnut Mandelbrot


Do these cookies look like biscotti? Exactly right; Mandelbrot are the Eastern European version of that Italian favorite. Classic mandelbrot features almonds (mandel = almonds; brot = bread). But this Americanized version includes one of our favorite ingredients, chocolate chips., We complement the chips with walnuts; feel free to substitute pecans or almonds (of course) for the walnuts. Read our blog about these cookies, with additional photos, at Bakers' Banter.

Ingredients

Directions

1) Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium-high speed until thickened and light-colored, about 5 minutes.

2) Beat in the flour and baking powder.

3) Mix in the chips and nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours, or overnight.

4) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

5) Divide the dough into four even pieces, about 13 ounces each if you have a scale.

6) Working with one piece at a time, place the dough on the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into an 8" x 2" log. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, leaving at least 2" between them; you'll put 2 logs on each baking sheet.

7) Sprinkle the logs heavily with coarse white sugar, if desired.

8) Bake the logs for about 28 to 30 minutes, until they're set and beginning to brown and the edges and sides, but not brown all over. Remove them from the oven, and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

9) Spritz the logs lightly with water; this will make them easier to cut. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes.

10) Cut each log into 1/2" to 3/4" slices. Cutting them on the diagonal will make the mandelbrot longer; cutting them crosswise will yield shorter cookies.

11) Place the pieces on edge, quite close together, on the baking sheets, and return them to the oven.

12) Bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, until a cookie feels baked through when you pinch it between your fingers. You'll also notice some browning around the edges, though the cookie shouldn't be browning all over. The point is simply to bake them all the way through.

13) Remove from the oven, and cool the mandelbrot right on the baking sheets.

Recipe summary

Hands-on time:
16 mins. to 20 mins.
Baking time:
1 hrs 3 mins. to 1 hrs 8 mins.
Total time:
4 hrs 19 mins. to 15 hrs 28 mins.
Yield:
56 cookies
Rate recipe
****+
Recipe comments (7) »

Tips from our bakers

  • When slicing the baked dough, be sure to slice with your knife perpendicular to the cutting surface, so that you cut even slices. Uneven slices won't balance well on the baking sheets.
  • While not traditional, the coarse white sugar lends a pretty sparkle and delightful crunch to these cookies.
  • The most challenging part about these cookies is figuring out when they're done. If their second bake isn't long enough, they won't be crunchy. But if it's too long, they can be pretty hard. Best not to let them get brown all over; they should just brown nicely around the edges. And they'll become crunchier as they cool, too, so don't judge their crunchiness when they're fresh out of the oven.
  • Feel free to add your own favorite "add-ins." Pistachios and dried cranberries are nice at Christmas; butterscotch chips and pecans are wonderful all year round!

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Reviews

Page:   1  
*****

02/09/2010

Carol M from Hamden, CT

They are delicious. I can't stop eating them.

*****

12/16/2009

Biobaker from Seattle

These were easy and delicious, great to take to a meeting it made a goodly batch and the cookies hold well. I didn't bother chilling the dough, forming logs directly on well-greased cookie sheets with the aid of a bench knife. As someone else suggested, the oil on the pan -- plus extra on my hands -- did a fine job of helping me shape the dough. I also skipped the nuts and instead added a 1/2c of stiff cranberry preserves, also replacing the vanilla with a bit of bourbon. The texture remained marvelous. Yum!

*****

12/13/2009

Margaret from Ocean City, MD

This is a good, quick and easy recipe - as long as you can let the dough chill overnight! I substituted half www and used half the choc. chips and like the results. My trick for working with potentially sticky dough is to work on a lightly oiled surface- like a manufactured stone countertop- with hands still oily from preparing the baking sheets and counter. This is a keeper!

12/12/2009

ew from NE

I haven't tried this recipe, however I make my biscotti logs with a muffin (ice cream) scoop placing them close or touching each other. Dampen hands lightly and sork the dough into log. Also, after slicing the logs I place the slices on a rack (on edge). They bake faster and evener for me. EW

*****

12/12/2009

Norda from Missouri

I was delighted with this recipe. I substituted at least 1/2 of the flour for whole wheat and everything went very well. My only complaint at all was that the bottom of the Mandelbrot was a little too brown for my taste. However, it could perhaps just be my oven though baked on the center rack. It was quite easy and delicious.

12/11/2009

Martha from NYC

Could White Whole Wheat be substituted 100% in this recipe? Thanks!
You can use White Whole Wheat in this recipe, just reduce the amount by a quarter cup. Molly @ KAF

*****

11/10/2008

Sue Tree from NY

The only disadvantage was that the dough was rock solid after refrigeration and as it softened was very sticky! However, they turned out exactly like the pictures, tasted good and were suitable for a leaving party catered with kosher-chinese (meat) food. Thanks, KAF

Page:   1