Jewish Mandelbrot Recipes

CLAIRE'S MANDELBROT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• Whisk together eggs, oil, and vanilla in another bowl until combined, then stir oil mixture into flour mixture until combined well. (Dough will be crumbly.) Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Transfer mixture to a lightly floured surface and knead until a dough forms.
• Quarter dough and firmly press each piece into a 10- by 2-inch log. Arrange logs 2 inches apart on an ungreased large baking sheet.
• Bake in middle of oven until golden, about 30 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Loosen logs from baking sheet with a metal spatula, then transfer to a cutting board and cool 5 minutes. Cut logs crosswise with a large heavy knife into 1/2-inch-wide slices and arrange on baking sheet, standing upright, 1/4 inch apart. Bake cookies in middle of oven until golden all over with firm centers, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. (Cookies will crisp as they cool.)

AUTHENTIC MANDELBROT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread almonds onto a baking sheet and toast in preheated oven until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool, then coarsely chop the almonds.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon zest, and orange zest in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter-egg mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Stir in chopped almonds.
• Divide dough in half. Grease hands to prevent sticking. On prepared baking sheet, shape each half into a flattened log, about 9 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch tall.
• Bake in preheated oven until light brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes. Slice logs diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices flat on baking sheet. Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Flip cookies and bake until other sides are lightly browned, about 10 minutes more.

MOM'S MANDELBROT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract until well blended. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder; and stir into the egg mixture until well mixed. Fold in the chocolate chips and almonds. Form two logs, three inches in diameter, and place onto the baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and cut into 1 inch diagonal slices. Lay the slices on their sides on the cookie sheet and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove to cool on a wire rack.

JEWISH CHOCOLATE CHIP MANDEL BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, beat oil and 1/2 cup sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into oil mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. , Shape dough into a 12x3-in. rectangle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool on pan on a wire rack until firm, 10-12 minutes. , Transfer baked rectangle to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut crosswise into 1-in. slices. Place on baking sheet, cut side down. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, Bake until golden brown, 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Store between pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container.