The holidays may be over, but I'm still hooked on biscotti and have a new recipe to share. This one's called Double Lemon Biscotti and it uses Nielsen Massey Lemon Paste. First, a little about the lemon paste. I bought it last year and had so many grand plans for it. There was a lemon paste pound cake and maybe a couple of other things, but then came our move and the lemon paste ended up in the bottom of a box. I wish I'd unpacked it before the holidays, but better late then never. This may be my favorite biscotti yet.
This biscotti is lemon-y. The paste, which has added sugar and tastes like melted lemon drops, is lemon-y on its own, but I still felt like the biscotti needed a little more zing, so I added lemon zest.
Also, I couldn't decide between lemon glaze or a drizzle of white chocolate and went with both. No regrets there!
I tested Double Lemon Biscotti with butter and with oil. Both versions were terrific, but the butter version spread a little less and had a tad more flavor. If you'd prefer to use canola or even olive oil, go for it.
Recipe
Double Lemon Biscotti
Ingredients
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 300 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup sugar 140 grams
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 56 grams
- 1 ½ tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons Nielsen Massey Lemon Paste
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1-2 teaspoons or so of poppy seeds optional
- Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- Fresh lemon juice as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add sugar and beat for about 30 seconds, then beat in the melted butter (or oil), corn syrup, lemon paste and lemon zest.
- Add the flour mixture and stir until blended.
- With damp hands, shape the dough into a log about 11 inches long and 1 inch high directly on a baking sheet.
- Bake on center rack for 30 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into about 16 to 18 slices.
- Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F.
- Stand biscotti bake on the baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F for about 25 minutes. Let cool.
- To make the glaze, put the powdered sugar in a bowl and slowly trickle in lemon juice, stirring constantly, until you have a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the biscotti and allow it to set.
- You can leave the biscotti as is, or melt white candy melts or white chocolate and add a drizzle of that too!
Anna says
Also, here's one made without any lemon paste, extract or oil.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2017/10/28/white-chip-macadamia-lemon-biscotti/
Anna says
Taneka, I think it's really not "needed" so much as it is a luxury ingredient that you can swirl into things like yogurt or brush on top of things without having to zest or squeeze juice. It also has a unique lemon drop flavor, unlike some lemon extracts which can be unpleasant (which probably depends on the brand and the application). I am testing lemon extract in the biscotti anyway because it's easy to find and inexpensive. Boyajian brand lemon oil would be ideal, but it's not as readily available. I will test with lemon oil as soon as I get some.
T. Martin says
When NM's Lemon Paste hit the market I wondered:
1. Why is this product needed
2. Will it produce a fake taste
This post answers number two though I am still left wondering why lemon paste was needed given the existence of citrus oils on the market, and also the ability to use citrus zest. Rubbing zest into sugar I find has boosted flavor a great deal in baked goods.
Sonya says
This sounds SO good!!!
Sue says
I was all excited about the malted milk biscotti and now I can’t decide if I’m more excited about those or these! You’re on a roll with the biscotti!
Anna says
Jaryn, the lemon paste is a very unusual ingredient. I'm going to try to come up with a version that is just as good but that doesn't call for it. Right now I'd suggest using 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract, increasing the lemon zest to about 1 1/2 teaspoons and adding an extra tablespoon of corn syrup OR sugar to replace the 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon paste.
So it would be as follows (and I will test it soon!).
UPDATE: Tested. Had a good shape and texture, but the lemon extract did not add a good flavor. Will try again with lemon oil.
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 300 grams
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar 140 grams
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 56 grams
2 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (should be better with lemon oil, probably need only 1 teaspoon)
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1-2 teaspoons or so of poppy seeds optional
Glaze
½ cup powdered sugar
Fresh lemon juice as needed
Jaryn says
Anna,
As usual, ingredients are unavailable in my area. Is there a substitute for lemon paste?