Mandel bread recipe. Photo ©Susan Braverman. Used with permission
February 23, 2022
This story originally appeared on Kibitz Spot.
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Mandel bread (also called mandelbrot) is a crisp, twice-baked biscuit that can be enjoyed on its own or dunked in coffee. Historically, it was a popular dessert among Eastern European Jews. Our favorite mandelbrot comes from the kitchen of my friend Susan Braverman, who shares her thoughts and recipe for mandel bread below”
This delicious crunchy cookie bar is not a bread at all. In fact, it’s also known as Jewish biscotti!
This treat, filled with cinnamon and chocolate chips, can be customized by adding nuts, raisins, dried cranberries or other flavored sprinkles. They are perfect for dipping in coffee or tea!
Mandel bread (mandelbrot) vs biscotti
The first two names in the list refer to the same food. Mandel bread is English, while Mandelbrot is of Germanic origin. While mandelbrot Literally translates to “almond bread,” it traditionally describes a crispy cookie with roots in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine.
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Biscotti, on the other hand, is of Italian origin and tends to contain less fat than in a mandel bread recipe, and the biscotti is therefore drier.
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What you need to make this mandel bread
While Susan’s full recipe is below, here’s a list of what you’ll need for her delicious mandelbrot recipe.
Stationery
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Hob
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mixing bowls
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Parchment paper (baking paper)
Ingredients
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Plain flour
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baking powder
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cinnamon
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Vegetable oil
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Sugar
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Eggs
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Vanilla
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Semi-sweet chocolate chips or optional extras such as raisins, nuts, dried cranberries or other flavored chips.
Photo ©Susan Braverman. Used with permission.
Susan’s tips for creating Crispy Mandel Bread
Mandel bread recipe
This recipe was contributed by my friend Susan Braverman.
Yield: 2 BREAD (24 PIECES)
Mandel bread (also called mandelbrot) is a crisp, twice-baked biscuit that can be enjoyed on its own or dunked in coffee. Historically, it was a popular dessert among Eastern European Jews.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
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3½ cup flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1 tablespoon of cinnamon
Wet ingredients
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1 cup vegetable oil
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1 cup of sugar
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3 eggs
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1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling
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12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
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Optional substitutions: raisins or nuts (see notes)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
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In a large bowl, combine oil and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
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Add (⅓ at a time) the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Use your hands to mix, if necessary.
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Add chocolate chips and/or other optional toppings. (Total fill should be 12 ounces)
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Shape the dough into 2 loaf-like rectangles on the cookie sheet with parchment paper.
(Optional: sprinkle with raw sugar and extra cinnamon before baking, for extra crunch.)
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Bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 30 minutes.
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Remove from oven. Cut into 1½ inch pieces and separate a bit.
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Optional: Return to oven for 10 minutes to crisp up. NOTE: Crispy is a personal taste. If you want a softer cookie bar, skip this step.
Remarks
Nuts, raisins, etc. can be added in addition to the chocolate chips, but keep the overall amount to around 12 ounces.
These freeze very well.
Nutrition Information:
YIELD: 24
PORTION: 1 piece
Amount per serving:
CALORIES: 263
TOTAL FAT: 15g
SATURATED FAT: 1g
TRANS FAT: 0g
UNSATURATED FATS: 12g
CHOLESTEROL: 23mg
SODIUM: 104mg
CARBOHYDRATES: 30g
FIBER: 1g
SUGAR: 8g
PROTEIN: 4g
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