A Treat For the Pooches
I made biscotti for Christmas gifts for friends of mine. At snacks, the sugar-free Banana Bones are appealing to some humans as they are dogs. The crunchy biscotti are, in any case, a safe alternative to chocolate, which can be lethal for canines.
Being suckers for dogs, we sometimes make our own dog biscuits. Of all the recipes I’ve tried from every possible source (including the growing library of dog and cat cookbooks), these elegant biscotti get the over-the-top, liquid-eyed, tail-wagging nod. Probably it’s all the peanuts and bananas, right up there with cheese and new shoes as all-time favorite canine flavors.
The recipe, published in DogWatch, a monthly newsletter from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, is from Three Dog Bakery, a growing chain of dog treateries based in Kansas City. Visit them at their website: http://www.threedog.com
5 Cups all-purpose flour
¼ -½ Cup chopped peanuts
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ Cup vegetable oil
1½ Cups pureed bananas
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Water
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Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack on the middle level. Have ready one or two ungreased nonstick baking sheet. (Or line regular baking sheets with parchment paper.)
Mix the flour, peanuts and baking soda together in a large bowl. Gradually stir in the remaining ingredients, except the water, until lumpy, but blended. Add enough water, a teaspoon at a time, to make a stiff dough. Knead by hand until thoroughly mixed. (or blend everything in a food processor.)
For very large biscotti, form the dough into 2 logs, each about 2½ inches high, placing one on each baking sheet. Flatten each log so that it is 6 inches wide and 1 inch high. For medium-sized biscotti, form 4 logs, 2 on each sheet, and flatten each into loaves that are 3 inches wide and 1 inch high.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove to wire racks and let rest for 10 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)
Transfer the logs to a cutting board and slice into ½-to-¾-inch pieces. (It’s easiest to slice them on the diagonal, using a serrated bread knife.) Return the slices to the baking sheets and bake for about 20 minutes longer, turning once, until they are golden brown.
Cool on racks. Store in a tightly closed tin at room temperature.
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