Chocolate Chip Mandelbread

Matt’s grandma is turning 90 years old on Monday!  A few months ago we were talking and she told me that all she wanted for her big birthday this year was Mandelbread.   Lucky for her, I don’t forget any food-related requests.

And even luckier for her, I have the most amazing mandelbread recipe that my mom’s been making for as long as I can remember.  She doesn’t remember the source but it was someone who had a good taste in desserts.

Mandelbread, otherwise known as Mandelbrodt or kamishbrot, is not so far off from biscotti.  Baking this type of cookie requires a few more steps than usual as the dough is baked in loaf form and then cut up and baked again.  These extra steps are worth it because you end up with a wonderful crunch, although I do like the middle-of-the-loaf pieces that are a little thicker and usually have a little chewiness to them.

While many variations include some sort of nuts, I like to stick with the chocolate chips only.  The semi-sweet chips along with a light cinnamon-sugar coating is a perfect flavor combination for me.  Plus, given that these are crunchy to begin with, nuts don’t add much value from a texture standpoint.

Chocolate Chip Mandelbread
Yield: Makes ~2 dozen slices

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, separated
3 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside
Beat 1 cup of sugar with all wet ingredients (eggs through orange juice)
Stir in dry ingredients until combined
Stir in chocolate chips
Form dough into two separate loaves on baking sheets lined with parchment paper
Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until light brown
While loaves begin to bake, combine remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with cinnamon
Remove baked loaves from oven and immediately cut into slices while hot
Turn each slice onto a side and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture
Re-bake for 12 minutes
Remove from oven, immediately turn each slice onto opposite side and sprinkle them with remaining cinnamon sugar
Continue to bake for another 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown

Do you have any baking requests for the blog?