Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti
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One of the things I look forward to having coffee at Dome Cafe is not its coffee but the biscotti that is served together with it. This little treat compliments the coffee so well! I always wanted to grab hold of a packet to bring home. But, after seeing the price, I decided to give this homemade version a go. That’s when I realized how cheap, healthier and tastier they could be!! Moving forward, I can happily say bye-bye to all the tasteless and expensive biscotti sold at the stores.
Biscotti originates from Italy. It is baked twice; first in log shape and then as individual slices. This method will yield a dry and hard, yet crisp texture for the biscuit which allows them to be kept longer at room temperature.
Some biscotti contain oil, some not. This biscotti recipe I am sharing now is oil and butter free and uses egg as a binding agent. It’s definitely a healthier option compared to the other oil or butter rich baked goods. When mixing the ingredients, don’t be fret if you get a sticky dough. Rest assured that nothing goes wrong. Just dust your hands and the work top with more flours will make the dough more manageable.
Biscotti is as easy-to-make as other cookies. However, it may need slightly more time and extra steps to produce its unique hard, dry and crisp texture. At the first baking, the biscotti log is baked using longer baking time to ensure it is well risen and firm but not hard. Then it is left to cool down so that it can be easily cut into thin and neat slices with the use of a serrated knife. The purpose of the second baking is to dry up the biscotti until it becomes crunchy but not overly browned. Both baking sessions are done under low baking temperature.
The biscotti is so full of flavour. Cranberry lends some natural sweetness and moisture to it. I love the combination of cranberry and pistachio as the pairing of red and green creates a cheerful and festive look for the biscotti. I think it makes a perfect gift for all occasions especially this coming Father’s Day.
Earlier on, I had tried an all-nuts combination with pistachios, almonds and hazelnuts, but i still prefer a mix of nuts and dried fruits. The latter is more moist and tastier. However, feel free to use any combination of your choice. If your child is not ready for nuts or is allergic to them, then you can opt for 100% dried fruits for this recipe. Whether dunking into hot beverage or eating it alone, this biscotti is definitely going to be my family’s favourite year round snack.
For a note, this biscotti may not be suitable for young toddlers. For older toddlers, dunk it into their milk or hot drink to soften it.
Recipe
Yield: 40 Biscotti
Ingredients
Steps
- Rehydrate cranberries – put in a plastic bag, pour water inside and immediately pour it out retaining some. Leave at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. Before using, remove cranberries from the bag and pat dry with kitchen towel.
- Rinse pistachios lightly. Pat dry with kitchen towel. (This step is optional)
- Roast pistachios in a preheated oven for 2-3 minutes at 160°C. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder and sieve. Add in orange zest and mix well. Use finger tips to break the lumps if any.
- In another bowl, beat the egg lightly with a hand whisk or electrical mixer. Then add in sugar and salt. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and pale.
- Add in vanilla extract (if used) and mix.
- Add in flour and baking powder (from step 4). Use a plastic scraper to mix all the ingredients until well combined. You can use technique such as cut, press and scrape to mix.
- Then add in the pistachios and cranberries. Mix until well combined and form a dough. At this stage, the dough is quite sticky. So, dust your hands and counter top with more flours before proceeding to the next step.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions, roll into log shapes (20cm length x 5cm width x 2cm thickness) and then flatten slightly. (refer to note 4)
- Place the logs on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Transfer the tray to oven, place at the lower rack and bake at 160°C for 30 minutes or until well risen and firm. If your logs show uneven colour, rotate them at 180 degree towards the last 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
- When the logs are cooled, use serrated knife to cut it diagonally into thin slices (0.8cm thickness or lesser). Arrange slices on the lined baking tray, transfer to oven, place at the lowest rack and bake for a further 150°c for 12 minutes (6 minutes for each side) or until slightly golden brown.
- Cool on rack and keep in an air-tight container for several weeks.
Notes
- Dried cranberries can substituted with dried cherries.
- You can substitute pistachios with other nuts (such almonds) or dried cranberries.
- After keeping the biscotti for some time, they may turn soft. To crisp them, bake in a preheated oven at 150°c for 5-10 minutes.
- Watch this video on how to rough the dough.