One of the highlights of the Harvest Retreat we held last week in northern California was tasting the olive oil biscotti prepared by the award-winning cookbook author Alice Medrich.
Alice, who’s a renowned chocolatier, developed the biscotti for us along with two additional desserts made using extra virgin olive oil: a phenomenal chocolate almond torte and chocolate ripple pound cake.
Here’s a little explanation behind the dishes. Ahead of our Harvest Retreat – which we held for chefs and other culinary professionals at our olive ranch in Artois – I asked Alice to develop three recipes that showcase our extra virgin olive oil. We wanted the recipes geared toward the home baker. But we also wanted them to be able to serve as inspiration for chefs. Alice had already developed an excellent chocolate truffle for us using our Arbequina EVOO.
Having now eaten all three of her newest dessert creations, I can tell you Alice has once again hit a home run.
The biscotti get an extra flavor kick with the addition of dried pears, walnuts and cornmeal. Alice tops the biscotti with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – preferably our Olio Nuovo, although any of our oils would be good.
“That way you get some of the flavor of the olive oil when it’s not cooked or baked,” Alice told us. She also suggests sprinkling the biscotti with a few flakes of sea salt just before eating.
During lunch at last week’s Harvest Retreat, we asked Alice about the use of olive oil in baking. She said it’s evolving. Initially, American bakers looked to using olive oil instead of butter for health reasons, Alice explained.
But that’s changed in the last few years.
“Now we want to use olive oil for the flavor of the olive oil as well as for health reasons,” she noted. “Chefs and cooks who are modern and adventurous are interested in different flavors. It’s not about the olive oil trying to be butter.”
I’m looking forward to what she comes up with next.
Bon appétit,
Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch
