Holiday Biscotti

These Holiday Biscotti are a pleasingly chewy biscotti, drizzled with with white chocolate and sprinkled with red and green sugar crystals. I make these every year; they travel extremely well and make a great Holiday gift.

Holiday Biscotti

Follow the directions exactly, do not chop the pistachios or cranberries, you may have one or two lose ends when cutting. Just use a little chocolate to glue the broken end and nobody will ever know. I think a quicker cut with a serrated knife is the way to go.

That being said here are some TIPS for success.

• Do not pass up the white chocolate drizzle!
• In my kitchen, I use a high quality white chocolate, such as Barry Callebaut White Chocolate Chunks that I get from OliveNation.  It is a premium white chocolate with a much better taste than store-bought white chocolate chips,.

Tips (cont.)

• I use anise EXTRACT instead of anise seed.
• If you like softer biscotti don’t bake them as long the second time they go back in the oven, just toast them lightly.
• If you having trouble cutting your Holiday Biscotti without crumble or breaking, spritz with a bit of water mist from a spray bottle and let sit for a couple of minutes before cutting.
• You can also make these several different ways. I have used; Mini chocolate chips with walnuts.  Orange rind, and & a little grand marnier instead of cranberries and pistachio

This year I am using chopped almonds, almond extract and then dipping the ends in white chocolate before sprinkling with sugar to finish them off.

Have fun and experiment, happy holidays everyone!

Holiday Biscotti Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon whole aniseed
• 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 3/4 cup shelled natural unsalted pistachios
• 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• Red and green sugar crystals

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat and set aside.
2. Place one oven rack in the middle of your oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F
3. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium bowl.
4. In a separate, beat butter and sugar until blended well, using an electric mixer.
5. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lemon peel, vanilla, and anise.
6. Add in flour mixture and mix just until blended. Stir in cranberries and pistachios (dough will be sticky).
7. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough comes together.
8.  Gather dough together; divide in half. Roll each half into 12 to15 inch-long log (about 1 1/4 inches wide).
9. Carefully transfer logs to 1 prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart and flatten a bit.
10. Bake logs until almost firm to touch but still pale, about 28 minutes.
11. Cool logs on baking sheet 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
12. Carefully transfer logs still to cutting board. Using serrated knife and a quick sawing motion, cut logs crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices.
13.  Place slices, 1 cut side down, back on to the baking sheet.
14. Return to oven and bake until firm and pale golden, about 9 minutes per side.
15. Transfer cookies to racks and cool.
16. After biscotti is cool.
17. Line another baking sheet with waxed paper.
18. Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water just until smooth.
19. Remove from over water, place in Ziploc bag, nip corner off and drizzle over biscotti.
20. Sprinkle with red and green sugar crystals.
21. Place cookies on prepared sheet. Chill until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.
22. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.