I Shot the Chef

I’m sure you’ve realized by now that I love biscotti. Its such a great treat, and usually a fraction of the fat of a regular cookie. Not this one, though! There is a nice amount of butter in this recipe that gives it a great flavor. This is the combination of several recipes, using my favorite parts, of course! As usual, I added almond extract… I LOVE that flavor, but you can omit it if you want. This would be prettier if you use dried cranberries, as they are usually more red in color, but all I had was dried cherries. Tasted good, though!

Christmas Biscotti Recipe

2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1- 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp almond extract
6 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 c coarsely chopped pistachios
3/4 c dried cherries or cranberries
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3-5 tbsp water
1/2 c pistachio, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cover two sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Place eggs and egg yolks in the well and stir into the flour mixture. Add butter and, almond extract; stir until dough starts to form a ball. Stir in nuts and dried cherries.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a 14-inch-long log. Place logs on prepared cookie sheets; flatten logs slightly until about 1-1/2 inches wide. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until firm and light brown. Remove from oven and place cookie sheets on wire racks; cool 15 minutes.

3. Transfer logs to cutting board. Use a serrated knife to cut each roll diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

4. Combine the powdered sugar, vanilla and 3 tbsp of water in a small bowl. Whisk or stir well to create a glaze. You may or may not need the extra water. The texture should be thin enough to coat the biscotti, similar to melted chocolate. Dip one end of each biscotti into the glaze and let the excess run back off. Place on a piece of parchment and sprinkle a bit of pistachio on top. Let dry and store in an airtight container.