If you haven’t tried Biscotti, oh my, you should. Starting with this recipe. Biscotti are traditional Italian almond biscuits which are twice-baked (don’t stress, it isn’t as tedious – because you know me – I don’t promote complex baking) and usually dipped into black coffee. The biscuit itself is quite basic and not too sweet but the addition of nuts and dried fruits, the unique thin slices and the long shelf life simply bring out the magic in Biscotti.
Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp orange rind
1 cup each of raw almonds, apricots, dried cranberries, pistachios*
Method
Day 1
- Place all ingredients into the mixer and mix on level 1 until combined. The texture is unique: in between a cake batter and cookie dough
- Place dough on the working surface and mould them into 2 oblong logs, slightly tapered on the long sides. Dust if you must.
- Bake at 160c for 30 mins
- Let baked logs cool down, wrap in plastic wrap and best kept in the fridge overnight.
Day 2
- Remove the logs from the fridge and slice them thin, without breaking, about 2-3mm**
- Spread them out onto the trays in a single layer and allow them to dry in the oven using convection air/hot air 160c for about 15 mins. Allow them to cool and keep them in an airtight cookie jar.
Extra notes:
*Add any unsliced dried fruits in your pantry but remember that the combination of fruits and nuts’ colours will enhance the beauty of your biscotti. For example, to add a touch of Christmas, you may want to use almonds, pistachios and cranberries. Add more, or less nuts – doesn’t really matter
** Thicker biscotti may end up as harder biscuits if you have them as is (instead of dipping into a drink), so slice them as thin as you can and work those pretty muscles! If you have access to a commercial meat slicer, that would help.
If you have broken pieces, break them up in a food processor and dehydrate in the oven. Use them as toppings on muffins
