Fleur d'Oranger (inspired) Biscotti

 

 

So yeah, I tend to be passionate about what I like. There's a huge range of 'things I like': books, photography, tea, cardigans... My love for all of these ranges in severity. For example, tea and I, we've been in love for years. Perfume and I, on the hand, have short little bursts until I get my hands on a few things...for a perfume person I'm remarkably particular.
Still, one of my most enduring favorites is the limited edition Fleur d'Oranger (2007 edition) by L'Artisan Parfumeur. It was made of what was supposed to be especially wonderful orange blossoms harvested in Tunisia in 2007. I fell in love with the scent. The perfume is a very true-to-life orange blossom, with a slight hint of honeycomb in the drydown. Now, since the scent is sold out, I won't describe it in any further detail. I will say that I like it enough that I wanted to somehow capture the essence of the perfume in something sweet and edible. I'm not sure why biscotti seemed right, but it did. I wanted a version that was heavy on the orange blossom, with bits of almonds and honey. Also, since practically all perfumes contain some alcohol, I added a hint of orange-scented liqueur too.
The biscotti I made is not a perfect reflection of the scent. The cookie is very scented, but this scent and flavor are complex mixtures of orange, alcohol, butter, and of course, sunny, perfumey orange blossoms. It is still quite delicious - the original recipe comes from the esteemed Chez Panisse - and it is lovely, crisp but not hard, and an beautiful cross between rich and buttery and light and crumbly. It is wonderful when dipped into wine or espresso.

Oranger Biscotti
Makes roughly 15 pieces
Adapted from Tartine, and originally from Chez Panisse
Heaping 1/4 cup of sliced almonds
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, very soft
1/4 cup sugar
1.5 tbsp honey
1 large egg
1 - 1.5 tsp orange flower water
1 tsp Grand Marnier
1 tsp orange zest
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Extra melted butter and honey for wash (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toasted the sliced almond on a parchment-covered baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, or until lightly toasted and very slightly tanned.
In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Add the honey and egg and beat until smooth. Add the scents: Grand Marnier, orange zest, orange flower water, and beat. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until just combined. Stir in the toasty almonds.
On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a log of roughly 2 inch diameter. Set the log on the parchment covered baking sheet. Glaze with butter and honey if desired.
Bake the biscotti for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned and set. Cool the biscotti log for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut on the diagonal into 1/2 inch slices. Return the slices, cut side down, to the parchment-covered baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are toasted. Cool completely.
The biscotti can be stored for weeks in a airtight container.