Italian Ossa da Mordere “Bones to Bite” – Sweet Biscotti Cookies
Categories: All, Cookies, Desserts, Holiday, Recipes, Treats
Tags: , Cookies, Dairy Free, Desserts, GFCF, Halloween Recipes
So Halloween is drawing nigh. Traditions, ghost stories, spirits … and bones (aka cookies) are on my mind!
Have I mentioned that I love Facebook? (It may seem like a disjointed segue, but follow me for a moment.) I was long a reluctant Facebooker. I like my private life to be private. I don’t need to know if one of my friends walked her dog; to be honest, I don’t really even want to know if someone walked their dog. But when it comes to living gluten free, I love Facebook. I have learned so much from others through this medium and I have been able to help so many more others in their journeys to a happy gluten-free existence via easy Facebook conversations. (Now for the real segue …)
So it was that a few days ago, someone posted on my Facebook page that she had made “Bones of the Dead .. with Jules .. and they are terrific! Thanks!” Translation: she had used my Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour in a traditional wheat flour recipe and had made Ossa de Mordere — “Bones to Bite” Cookies — and they were terrific! So naturally, I asked for the recipe, and for a picture. And she stepped up with both.
I was so intrigued. The recipe (and the fascinating history behind it) had sucked me in. Sugar and spices with whipped egg whites and almonds … it sounded right up my cookie alley, that’s for sure.
So ladies & gents, I give you the traditional Italian Ossa de Mordere recipe shared by Bernice F. on my Facebook page. It’s a recipe you may recognize, as it’s not far off from any wheat version you might find — I changed little from Bernice’s version. I have to say that I believe I now know why these have been made in conjunction with modern-day Halloween, since you’re going to need to find many others to whom you can gift these bones, lest you find yourself late at night, munching on yet another cookie bone, writing a recipe for your blog … er … I mean, answering emails. These are seriously addictive. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. They’re scary good. Really. Scary.
Ossa da Mordere – Bones to Bite Cookies -
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. grated lemon zest or dried lemon peel
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder, gluten-free
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 3/4 cup Jules Gluten Free™ All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cups chopped almonds (sliced almonds, coarsely chopped)
- Confectioner’s sugar
Preheat oven to 350° F (static).
Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
Whip the egg whites until foamy, but not stiff. Add sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves. Beat until integrated. Process almonds by chopping to a coarse texture. Add Jules Gluten Free™ Flour and chopped almonds and integrate into the egg mixture.
Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of dough into your hands and form into small 1/2 inch wide, 3 inch long finger-shaped sticks. Roll in confectioner’s sugar and press your fingertip into the end of each, forming a “U” shape for the ends of the bones. Lay onto prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar over each bone cookie when cooling to make the cookies whiter — like bones. Once cooled, serve or seal in zip-top bags or rubber-sealed containers to keep crisp and fresh. Finished cookies should be crispy on the outside and chewy with a spicy crumb on the inside … delicious on their own, or dunked in coffee, like biscotti (or in sweet Italian wine??!).
Yield: approximately 12 large bone cookies.
23 Comments
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30. Oct, 2011
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01. Nov, 2011
[...] festa be without food? Dress for the occasion, process down the street, but be sure to eat lots of ossa da mordere, or “bones of the dead.” Don’t choke: they’re cookies. For some stupendous photos of [...]
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08. Nov, 2011
[...] Read More… ShareFacebookTwitterStumbleUponLinkedInRedditPrintEmailDiggLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. Biscotti, Recipe ← Association of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Celiac Disease: A Brief Report (Department of Child Psychiatry, Psychiatric Hospital of Rodewisch, Rodewisch, Germany) [...]
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Shirley @ gfe said: on October 28, 2011
Awesome! These will be just right for a family who likes the gory stuff to be sweet.
xo,
Shirley
Frances D’amato said: on October 29, 2011
Very delicious.
Thank you.
Valerie said: on October 29, 2011
Is there any substitute for the lemon zest, or do you think I could leave it out? I have lemon juice, but am zesting impaired…. If dried lemon peel is something I can buy and keep in the spice cabinet, let me know where I should be looking.
Thanks!
Jules said: on October 29, 2011
Valerie – I keep dried lemon peel in my cabinet for just these moments! You can definitely leave the zest out of this recipe, or you can look in the spice aisle for dried lemon peel!
Gypsi Bates said: on November 1, 2011
Valerie, I grated the outside of a lemon, then chopped it up further with the almonds when I ground them, and it worked wonderfully. I find that I like fresh much better than dried, and despite a few big pieces now and then, it’s worth it!
KD said: on October 29, 2011
Will powdered egg whites do in this recipe? Makes short for room temperature for dem bones.
Jules said: on October 29, 2011
KD – if you reconstitute the egg white powder, it should work fine!
Dee Vogel said: on October 29, 2011
So you roll the dough into half-inch long finger-shaped sticks. Half-inch long? That’s pretty tiny. They don’t look that short in the photos. I don’t think I’d attempt it. Maybe half an inch thick? Please advise.
Berni F said: on October 29, 2011
They turned out lovely! Well done. I’m so glad you liked them. My husband made a batch and dipped the ends in chocolate — not very ‘bone-y’ but tasty!
And Dee, they should be 1/2 around and about 2 1/2″ long.
Jules said: on October 29, 2011
Berni – thanks for chiming in! Great recipe … I can’t stop eating them!!!!!
Joyce Hawkinson said: on October 29, 2011
To get room temperature eggs quickly, put the whole, uncracked eggs in a small bowl and add warm water. Takes about 5 minutes for the eggs to warm up!
Kate said: on October 30, 2011
Jules, I would love to try your flour mix! I am an avid baker and just found out I have CD
Do you sell it retail? I live in upstate NY.
Shirley said: on October 31, 2011
Made these to bring to work on Halloween. They are really good. A bit more work than I am used to but worth it. They turned out really nice.
Jules said: on November 1, 2011
Shirley, so glad they were a hit!
Gypsi Bates said: on November 1, 2011
I made these today in honor of the Day of the Dead and they were so easy and fantastic! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Jules said: on November 2, 2011
Gypsi – so glad you loved them! Ours were gone too soon … I might have to make more!
Gill said: on November 3, 2011
This is a brilliant recipe – thank you! They were great as a treat for Halloween & definitely something to make again. The mix made a good amount also.
Jules said: on November 4, 2011
So glad you loved the recipe Gill! I’m definitely bookmarking it for me, as well! I couldn’t stop eating them!
amy said: on November 18, 2011
Made these last night and don’t have many left! The crunch of the outside and chewy inside is perfect! I left out the lemon zest only b/c I didn’t have a lemon on hand and I used chopped pecans from my pecan trees instead of almonds. I am definately going to dip the ends in chocolate on my next batch…THANKS for the GREAT RECIPE!
Jules said: on November 20, 2011
Amy – fantastic! So glad your subs worked. I really love this recipe too!!!