Café de Olla Biscotti
Sweet Sustenance for a Long Journey
When I think of what snacks to take on a long journey (or a bakery move), I immediately think of biscotti. Biscotti translates to “twice baked,” meaning exactly that: they’re baked twice. First, they’re baked in a log until just set, and then after being sliced into individual cookies, they’re baked again until completely dry. This method of preparation ensures that the biscotti hold up well on long journeys, and they’ve been favorite snacks for soldiers and travelers since the 14th century.
Traditional biscotti are made without butter and are typically quite hard. They’re best when dipped into a hot cup of coffee or the traditional Vin Santo Italian dessert wine. Newer versions sometimes include butter for a softer bite, but this isn’t traditional. This biscotti recipe calls for olive oil for a bit of richness that doesn’t go against tradition.
Café de Olla is a traditional Mexican coffee drink that’s flavored with cinnamon and other spices. It’s sweetened with panela, a type of very natural, very dark brown sugar. Panela is usually sold in blocks that melt beautifully into a steaming pot of Café de Olla, but unfortunately these blocks won’t work for this recipe because there isn’t enough liquid to break them up. When we prepare this recipe in our bakery, we use Wholesome’s Panela which is organic and fair trade, and it’s already in granules for easy incorporation. If you don’t have panela in your pantry, you can always substitute dark brown sugar.
