Keep biscotti around—they have a long shelf life—or ladyfingers, which freeze well and can be revived in a minute in the microwave. Then, in less than five minutes, make this chocolate dipping sauce.

The combination goes with brandy, coffee, cola, fruity red wine, liqueurs, tea, and of course, a glass of milk.

Cubed pound cake, amaretto cookies and/or sliced fruit are also delicious with the chocolate sauce. Chocoholics may prefer brownie cubes or fingers.

The recipe makes enough for eight two-cookie servings. We turned to one of our favorite holiday snacks, Nonni’s Biscotti.

As a bonus, Nonni’s isn’t rock-hard like conventional biscotti made for dipping in coffee or a dessert wine like vin santo. You don’t have to dip it…although don’t hesitate to follow the tradition.

RECIPE: CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE FOR

This festive but easy recipe, which we adapted from Nescafé, is presented as individual servings.

But if you have a fondue pot, chafing dish, brazier, or other way to keep the chocolate sauce warm, you can set it on a table with a platter of biscotti, ladyfingers and other cookies.

Apple wedges and orange segments also works.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MELT. Place chocolate and cream in a medium, microwave-safe dish. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 60 seconds. Stir with whisk until smooth.

2. COMBINE. Whisk in liqueur and coffee granules until coffee is dissolved.

3. ASSEMBLE. Divide the chocolate sauce among 8 small dessert dishes or whatever you have: brandy snifters, ramekins, rocks glasses, small wine glasses, tea cups, etc). Place 2 to 3 ladyfingers to each glass. Serve immediately.

Alternative: Use a plate under the dish and put the biscotti on the plate.

Tip: Serve with espresso spoons so everyone can scoop up the remaining chocolate sauce.
 
Find more of our favorite desserts.
 
ABOUT NONNI’S BISCOTTI

Nonni’s Biscotti is the number one-selling biscotti brand in the U.S.

Whether for a coffee break, snack or part of dessert, we’ve been enjoying Nonni’s since they came onto the market in 2012. There are flavors for everyone, plus special holiday editions.

[1] Warm chocolate dipping sauce with biscotti or ladyfingers: a quick and easy snack or dessert. Photo and recipe courtesy Nescafé. [2] Dip from a tea cup or whatever you have (photo courtesy Feast And Fable Blog. [3] Instead of gingerbread men, serve hot chocolate with Nonni’s holiday biscotti. Don’t want hot chocolate? The biscotti are great with coffee, brandy and liqueurs (photo courtesy Nonni’s). [4] Pick up a few boxes and treat family and friends (photo | THE NIBBLE).

Nonni never envisioned or Salted Caramel (our personal favorite) or Turtle Pecan biscotti; but thankfully, her grandson did. There are eight flavors, plus seasonal specialties like Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice.

There are also five flavors (including cranberry) of Nonni’s ThinAddictives, a lower-calorie option.
 

CHECK OUT THE HISTORY OF BISCOTTI.
  

[2] A more elegant presentation from Anne Fruart via Vermont Creamery photo © Vermont Creamery.

[3] Mix it up: potato latkes with cauliflower. The recipe is at right (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

[4] Our personal heaven: latkes with smoked salmon, caviar, sour cream and a bit of chive (photo © Diva Eats World).

But our favorite Hebrew miracle is the Chanukah lamp oil. resulting in the Festival of Lights. It commemorates the miracle of a temple lamp (menorah) which had enough purified the oil for one day. It would take a week to make more purified oil. But a miracle occurred: After the the menorah was lit, the flames burned for eight days—by which time new vats of purified oil were ready.

Why is it our favorite Jewish holiday? It comes with fried food, commemorating the lamp oil. That includes latkes, fried potato pancakes.

There are two recipes below: one with a classic potato base, and one that substitutes other veggies for the potatoes. Don’t miss that one (you have to scroll, or click here.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF LATKES

The popular potato latkes of European Jewish cuisine descend from Sicilian ricotta pancakes that appeared in the Middle Ages. They traveled north to Roman, where the Jewry called them cassola. Here’s a recipe for ricotta latkes. Traditionally sweetened, you can make a savory version with herbs instead of sugar.

Potato latkes (meaning “fried cakes” in Yiddish) are an Ashkenazi invention that gained popularity in Eastern Europe during the mid 1800s.

While the ricotta pancakes, a cousin to cheese blintzes are delicious, our bet is that most people would rather have fried potatoes!

Here’s a longer history of latkes in Idaho Potato (photo #3).
 
 
RECIPE #1: POTATO, ONION & CAULIFLOWER LATKES

In addition to varying the latke ingredients, you can try different condiments. We made a curry-yogurt dip for these.

Ingredients

You can serve more than one topping. Our mom always served sour cream and her homemade applesauce (as did her mom); but this is another century. Try fusion seasonings, go crazy (within reason) with toppings like cardamom applesauce, curried Greek yogurt or 3-herb sour cream.

 
Plus

And here’s an even more veg-centric recipe from Good Eggs: the classic potato-onion combination with parsnips, carrots and leeks.

And for beet lovers, there are (drum roll) beet latkes. Try them now or save them for Valentine’s Day. Serve them Russian style with fresh dill and sour cream.

You can also make parsnip-centric latkes, carrot and raisin latkes: Go wherever your palate takes you.

Want cheese with your latkes? Start with this recipe for Ginger Pancakes With Herbed Goat Cheese by Najwa Kronfel of Delicious Shots.
 
 
RECIPE #2: VEGETABLE LATKES

In photo #5, these latkes are paired with a crunchy Asian slaw.

Ingredients

 
Toppings

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the peeled potatoes and onions in a big bowl; mix with your hands. In another bowl, combine the peeled parsnips, leeks and carrots.

2. SQUEEZE the excess liquid out of the potato-onion mixture, using your hands, a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth or your hands. (We use a large strainer and press down the mixture.). Place in a separate bowl and add the eggs, a few big pinches of salt and flour—again mixing with your hands. Form patties about 3 inches in diameter and just shy of an inch thick. Do the same for the parsnip mixture.

3. ADD oil to a large skillet, until it’s about ¼-inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the first batch of latkes, leaving plenty of room between each of them. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until they’re a deep golden brown on each side, and fully cooked through.

4. DRAIN: Place the latkes on a platter or in a baking sheet/dish covered in paper towels and sprinkle with flakey salt immediately. Keep the latkes warm in an oven set to very low. Repeat until you’ve cooked all of the latkes.

[5] Latkes with four different veggies and a side of Asian slaw. The recipe is at left (photo © Good Eggs)

[6] Beet latkes from Williams-Sonoma. Here’s the recipe (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[7] Carrot latkes from Elana’s Pantry, which specializes in gluten-free, Paleo food. ” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Here’s the recipe (photo © Elana’s Pantry).

[1] The original Dutch Baby: cinnamon, vanilla and a touch of powdered sugar (photo © In My Red Kitchen).

[2] From breakfast to dessert: Raspberry Dutch Baby and Chocolate Dutch Baby (photo © The Modern Proper.

[3] Lemon Blueberry Dutch Baby (photo © Camille Styles).

[4] A dessert Dutch Baby with all the fixings. The recipe is below (photo © Donal Skehan).

[5] Fill a savory Dutch Baby with eggs, ham, vegetables, and/or cheese. Here’s the recipe (photo © Food With Feeling).

Rather than flipping pancakes, why not make a Dutch Baby, a multi-portion pancake that’s baked in the oven, no flipping required.

The recipe follows below.

> So are more Dutch Baby pancake recipes.

> The history of the Dutch Baby pancake is below.

> So is the history of pancakes.

> More about pancakes.

> The different types of pancakes and waffles: a photo glossary.
 
 
WHAT’S A DUTCH BABY?

The preparation instructions are right below.

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Combine the flour, eggs, vanilla, salt, milk and a pinch of cinnamon in a mixing bowl and whisk until the ingredients and well-incorporated (i.e. no flour lumps).

2. MELT half of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron pan over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted, add the fruit, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. If you have a lemon or orange zest, it adds pizzazz. Use a teaspoon or whatever you feel comfortable with.

3. STIR gently to coat the pears and cook them over low heat for about 5 minutes. When the pears have softened a bit, drain the butter but keep the fruit in the pan. Then turn up the heat to high add the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Swish the butter all over the pan—sides included—so that the entire inside surface is covered.

4. POUR the batter over the fruit and slide the pan into the oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until that baby is quite puffed up and golden brown. It falls soon after removed from the oven, so be ready to serve immediately. While the pancake is cooking…

4. SET the garnishes on the table so participants can help themselves quickly.
 
 
MORE DUTCH BABY RECIPES

 
 
THE HISTORY OF PANCAKES

People have been eating pancake-like foods for a very long time. According to Alan Davidson in the Oxford Companion to Food, the first mention of anything other than bread baked on a griddle is the oldest surviving cookbook, De Re Coquinaria (“On Cookery) by Apicius*.

The book describes “cakes” made from a batter of eggs, milk, water and flour. They were fried and served with honey and pepper.

Archaeologists have discovered grains on 30,000-year-old grinding tools, suggesting that Stone Age man might have been eating grains mixed with water and cooked on a hot rock.

While the result not have looked like the modern crepe, hotcake, or flapjack, the idea was the same: a flat cake, made from batter and fried.

Ancient Greeks and Romans ate pancakes topped with honey, and a Greek reference mentions toppings of cheese and sesame as well.

[6] A savory Dutch Baby with goat cheese. Here’s the recipe (photo © Betty Crocker).

[7] You can use your cast iron skillet to make a Dutch—10″ diameter or larger (photo © Simply Recipes).

[8] You can also make a Dutch Baby in a small paella pan. This one’s from Norpro.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “Flat as a pancake” has been a catchphrase since at least 1611.

For the rest of the pancake’s journey to modern times, head to National Geographic.

And remember to celebrate National Pancake Day on September 26th.
 
 
MORE PANCAKE HISTORY

 
 
________________

*“Apicius” is believed to be the pseudonym of one or several writers who authored the book. The manuscript of some 400 recipes is believed to have been compiled in the late 4th or early 5th century C.E. Why the name Apicius? It had long been associated with gourmet preferences, named after Marcus Gavius Apicius, a wealthy Roman merchant and epicure who lived in the 1st century C.E. He is said to have once sailed all the way to Libya to eat some much-praised prawns, only to return home without having found any to his satisfaction. He hosted colossal banquets, which eventually drove him to bankruptcy…and suicide.
 
 

[1] Salad with three different flavored oil droplets (photos #1 and #4 courtesy Matthew Kenney Cuisine). [2] Vegetables with a mushroom sauce swirl (photo courtesy Wassail | NYC). [3] The most elegant way to serve gravy (photo courtesy Strip House | Las Vegas). [4] A fancy way to serve ice cream or sorbet, with a chopped pistachio nuts. [5] Garnish your drinks, too (Chocolate Martini photo courtesy Scrumpdillyicious).

The same plastic squeeze bottles used to serve ketchup at some casual spots can also be used to create glamorous accents—dots, swirls, zigzags—on your everyday foods as well as special occasion fare.

All you need are inexpensive squeeze bottles.

You can keep them in the fridge, ready to do a maple syrup zigzag over French toast, flavored olive oil droplets in soups or on plates, raspberry purée for desserts, or anything else you want to dot, squiggle, swirl or zigzag .

There’s no limit: sweet or savory, foods or beverages.

 
SQUEEZE BOTTLE DO’S & DONT’S

DO:

 
NEXT STEPS

1. What are you cooking next? Pick your garnish and make a different design for everyone. Even a ham sandwich can be served with mustard and mayonnaise polka dots or swirls.

2. Try different flavors with different foods. Maybe that ham sandwich would like a zigzag of sriracha mayo and a drizzle of honey mustard.

3. Don’t forget the soup. We love it with a few droplets of flavored olive oil, or a swirl of Greek yogurt or sour cream.

4. Plan your matches. If this is new for you, it will take you longer to decide on the sauce than create the designs. On the other hand, there’s something to be said for spontaneity. Just grab that bottle of ranch dressing, pour it into the squeeze bottle and garnish away!
 
FINAL NOTES

A squeeze bottle makes all of this easy.

Designs don’t have to be perfect swirls or zigs.

Whatever you start with will be just fine.

You’re going to have a lot of fun with this!

After years of serving mulled wine, we realized that the popular garnishes are wasteful: They can’t be eaten, and are tossed out. That means you, cinnamon sticks, curls of peel, raw cranberries, and star anise. So, we’ve settled on seasonal garnishes that are edible, attractive, and aromatic:

 
This article has three recipes. We start with a conventional recipe.

Next is a slow cooker alternative (jump to it, below). Slow mulling is great because it doesn’t take up a stovetop burner that you may need for cooking.

Finally, a recipe for mulled wine with vodka (jump to it, below).
 
TIPS

 
 
RECIPE #1: CRANBERRY MULLED WINE

We adapted this classic recipe from Wine And Glue.

TIP: Serve mulled wine in a glass vessel. If you don’t have glass mugs or Irish Coffee glasses, consider getting some. They’re not more than $5 apiece, and you can use them year-round for any hot beverage. Rocks glasses and stemmed wine glasses also work.

Ingredients

 
Variations

[1] The conventional garnishes look beautiful, but you can’t eat them (photo © Kitchen Treaty).

[2] Our favorite garnish: an orange wedge (edible) studded with a few cloves (photo © The Guardian).

[3] Cardamom pods. Here are more uses for them (photo © Indian Home Cooking | Clarkson Potter).

1. COMBINE all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 10 minutes. You don’t want the alcohol to evaporate.

2. SERVE warm. If you don’t have glass cups or mugs, you can also use stemmed wine glasses or rocks glasses.
 
 
 
RECIPE #2: SLOW COOKER CRANBERRY MULLED WINE

We adapted this recipe from Kate at Kitchen Treaty.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the wine, orange juice, cranberries, and sugar to a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to help the sugar dissolve.

2. SCRUB the orange, stud it with cloves and add it to the pot. If you don’t have the time to insert the cloves, just toss them into the pot separately. There are two techniques to stud an orange: use a thimble on your finger (pushing in more than a few starts to dent your finger) or first make holes with an ice pick or toothpick.

3. COOK on low for 2-3 hours, until the cranberries are tender. Be sure not to boil. Remove the orange and the cinnamon sticks, then carefully pour the mulled wine through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Use the back of a large spoon to press on the cranberries and release the juices. Return the wine to the slow cooker and stir in the brandy. Taste and adjust the sweetness until it’s just sweet enough (the sweetness should be more elegant than a soft drink!).

4. LADLE into mugs, garnish as desired and serve. Keep the slow cooker on the low setting so guests can help themselves to refills. Kitchen Treaty advises that if kept on low for more than three hours, it will boil—and boil off the alcohol.
 

[4] Cranberry sticks are expensive. Here’s a trick: You can rinse them off and reuse them. They’ll lose some of their aroma, but wrap them tightly once they’re dried. Ali of Gimme Some Oven adds star anise to her recipe (photo © Gimme Some Oven.

[5] Glass mugs or rocks glasses make mulled wine look even better. And we love this edible garnish: a dried apple slice (photo © Nastasia Day | Pexels).

RECIPE #3: MULLED WINE WITH VODKA

This ingredient comes from Ocean Spray. The vodka is optional, but we highly recommend it!
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients except the vodka, dried cranberries and almonds in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer 15 for minutes.

2. STRAIN to remove the spices. Stir in the vodka,

3. PLACE 1 tablespoon of dried cranberries and 1-1/2 teaspoons of almonds in the bottom of each glass or mug. Pour the in mulled wine and serve.
 
 
WHAT DOES “MULLED” MEAN?

According to Harvard University, the origin of the word “mull” to mean heated and spiced is shrouded in mystery. Mulling spices can include allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, peppercorns and/or star anise. A “mulled” drink is one that has been prepared with these spices. The same spices can be added to the brewing process to make spiced beer.

The custom is believed to have originated in northern Europe to use wine that had gone bad. The spices covered up the off taste, along with additions such as apples, oranges and dried fruits, including raisins.

The technique is to heat the liquids with the spices and then strain them out before serving.

The expression “cup of good cheer” comes to us from Merrie Olde England, referring to hot mulled cider and wine.

Centuries later, the term evolved into a drinking toast. The wassail bowl tradition began in the 14th century in southern England, home to apple groves galore and a lot of apple cider. The first wassail bowls contained hot mulled cider. When you come across references to “a cup of good cheer,” it refers to mulled cider or wine.