Now that Christmas is over, the house is clear of festive goodies and I must admit to feeling as though there may possibly be such a thing as too much chocolate.
Rooting through the cupboards the other day, I came across a forgotten jar of pistachios. With their intense greenery shrouded in purpley brown, they called to me that they had been left on the shelf for far too long. I also uncovered a large cache of dried cranberries, which had been bought a while ago with the intent of making Barefoot Contessa's orange and cranberry scones. On that occasion, my plans also got put on the shelf, so they joined the pistachios.
Finding them again seemed a good opportunity to try something new. So, inspired by an Italian cookbook I had been glancing through, I searched for a recipe for biscotti, and hit golddust.
This is a recipe adapted from one found on epicurious which is sooo easy yet sooo good. It's a US website, so I have 'translated' some of the measurements and ingredients (where I felt it needed). These proportions worked for me.
Ingredients (makes approx 24):
2 1/4 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tspns baking powder
3/4 tspn salt
85g unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup golden caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tspns vanilla extract
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries (I used Ocean Spray craisins)
3/4 cup shelled natural unsalted pistachios
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (fan, so approx 160 conventional).
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until blended well. Beat in the eggs one by one.
Add the lemon zest and vanilla.
Fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the cranberries and pistachios; you will have a fairly sticky dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured worksurface, halve the dough and form into two log shapes.
Place on a baking tray lined with paper. Flatten slightly.
Place in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until tinged slightly golden. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes
Transfer the loaves to a cutting board using the paper. Get a long sharp knife and using one, downward cutting motion for each slice, cut the loaves into 1/2 inch slices. (That is, don't saw back and fore or the biscuits will crumble.) I tried mine using a slight diagonal cut.
Return, cut side down, to the papered baking tray (you will probably need a second at this point), and return to the oven for 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over and give another 5 or so minutes until they they are firm and pale gold. Leave to cool.
These really are fantastic. (I've somehow managed to loose about half of them before taking that final picture :-)). Enjoy with a creamy cappucino ...
Rooting through the cupboards the other day, I came across a forgotten jar of pistachios. With their intense greenery shrouded in purpley brown, they called to me that they had been left on the shelf for far too long. I also uncovered a large cache of dried cranberries, which had been bought a while ago with the intent of making Barefoot Contessa's orange and cranberry scones. On that occasion, my plans also got put on the shelf, so they joined the pistachios.
Finding them again seemed a good opportunity to try something new. So, inspired by an Italian cookbook I had been glancing through, I searched for a recipe for biscotti, and hit golddust.
This is a recipe adapted from one found on epicurious which is sooo easy yet sooo good. It's a US website, so I have 'translated' some of the measurements and ingredients (where I felt it needed). These proportions worked for me.
Ingredients (makes approx 24):
2 1/4 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tspns baking powder
3/4 tspn salt
85g unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup golden caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tspns vanilla extract
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries (I used Ocean Spray craisins)
3/4 cup shelled natural unsalted pistachios
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (fan, so approx 160 conventional).
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until blended well. Beat in the eggs one by one.
Add the lemon zest and vanilla.
Fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the cranberries and pistachios; you will have a fairly sticky dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured worksurface, halve the dough and form into two log shapes.
Place on a baking tray lined with paper. Flatten slightly.
Place in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until tinged slightly golden. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes
 |
| From the oven after approx 25 minutes |
Transfer the loaves to a cutting board using the paper. Get a long sharp knife and using one, downward cutting motion for each slice, cut the loaves into 1/2 inch slices. (That is, don't saw back and fore or the biscuits will crumble.) I tried mine using a slight diagonal cut.
Return, cut side down, to the papered baking tray (you will probably need a second at this point), and return to the oven for 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over and give another 5 or so minutes until they they are firm and pale gold. Leave to cool.
These really are fantastic. (I've somehow managed to loose about half of them before taking that final picture :-)). Enjoy with a creamy cappucino ...
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