Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
The bright colors of this delightful Italian Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti are a favorite at Christmas-time. The combination of pistachios, sweet cranberries and the flavor from orange zest has become a classic cookie treat.
Servings: 24 Cookies
Ingredients
- 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour 270 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup toasted pistachios 120 grams
- ¾ cup dried cranberries 60 grams
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 11 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a shallow bowl. With a rubber spatula, stir in the pistachios and cranberries; then push the mixture into a mound and make a well in the center.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, zest, and vanilla. Add the mixture to the well in the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir in a circular motion, gradually incorporating the flour into the wet mixture until the flour is completely mixed and smooth. The dough will be thick but sticky.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and with floured hands, pat the dough into a disk. Divide the disk of dough into two portions. Shape each portion into a log about 2-½ inches in diameter and 12- inches long, adding a little more flour to your hands if needed to prevent sticking. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet.
- Press the tops of the logs lightly to slightly flatten and smooth them. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. They should be springy to the touch with some cracks on the surface.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool for 5-minutes, then transfer to the cooling rack and let cool for 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven heat to 300°F - Transfer the cooled logs to a cutting board and cut each log into 3/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices, cut side up on the same baking sheet and return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the slices over and bake an additional 10 minutes until they are crisp.
- Transfer the slices to the cooling rack and cool completely. Store biscotti in an airtight container.
Notes
- Biscotti can also be made using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Dried organic cranberries have the brightest red color.
- Let the biscotti cool no more than 10 minutes before slicing. If you leave them too long they become more difficult to slice.
- For extra-long biscotti, make one large log so the cookies can be cut into 7-8-inch slices for that ‘gourmet’ look.
- The biscotti will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.
- If the biscotti should lose their crispness, place the slices on a baking sheet in a 250°F oven for 3-5 minutes until they’re crunchy again.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Biscotti | Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 71mg | Sugar: 6g
