Two recipes: beer and biscotti

I tried two experiments this weekend, a beer and a variation on a biscotti recipe.

I won't know how good the beer is for another 2 months or so. Here is the ingredient list:

Wayward Monk Ale

• 6 lbs Northern Brewer Amber Malt Extract


• 3.15 lbs Northern Brewer Dark Malt Extract


• 1 1b Dark Belgian Candi Sugar


• Wyeast Belgian Abbey II yeast (#1762)


• 1 oz Fuggle hops


• 1 oz Saaz hops


• 1 oz Hallertau Mittelfruh hops


• 1 gm of Myrica gale


• 1 pinch of Wormwood


• 1 lbs Belgian Biscuit Malt


• 1 lbs Franco-Belges Kiln Coffee Malt

The last two ingredients I forgot to order, and they will have to be added later. I'm not sure what effect that will have. I'm also not sure what this beer will be like - its kind of a winter-warmer/scotch ale/Belgian abbey hybrid. But that's why I homebrew - why make something you can buy in a store?

The biscotti is already a clear success. The recipe is essentially from Baking Illustrated, which I highly recommend.

• 2 cups of flour (I like to use some whole wheat in there)


• 1 tsp baking powder


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 3 tbsp unsalted butter


• 1 cup sugar (I like to use some portion of brown sugar)


• 2 eggs


• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract


• 2 oz sliced almonds, roasted briefly in a pan


• 1/2 cup of cocoa nibs (I used the organic Dagoba ones, which are the only thing I have ever seen in a supermarket)

You make the dough into two loaves, cook for about 25 minutes at 350 F. Take it out and slice into strips, then rebake at 325 for about 15 minutes. Its very easy but seems to impress people as much as much more difficult baked goods.