Buttery Hazelnut Fig Biscotti Recipes

BISCOTTI WITH CARAMELIZED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the hazelnuts in a single layer on a silicon pad lined baking sheet. Put the tray in the center of the oven and cook until a little past light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Heat a large, stainless steel pan on medium heat. Make sure the pan is dry and clean to avoid any impurities or water affecting the caramel you are about to make. Add the sugar. Shake the pan slightly to distribute the sugar in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and keep your eye on the sugar as it melts and begins to turn brown. Lift the pan and swirl the sugar around from time to time as it melts. Do not stir with any utensils. Any impurities on the utensil could also disturb the sugar as it melts.*
• Prepare a baking sheet lined a silicon mat or parchment paper. Spray a layer of nonstick spray on the parchment, if using. Set aside. When the hazelnuts cool slightly and the caramel is a light brown, use a clean spoon to stir the hazelnuts into the caramel. Spray the spoon with nonstick spray so that the sugar doesn't stick to the end of the spoon as you work. Stir the nuts, coating them with the sugar. Use the spoon to scoop out the hazelnuts and spread them on to the lined baking sheet. Spread them as best you can without creating big clumps. Sprinkle with a touch of salt. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond extract and the lemon zest. Set aside.
• In another bowl, sift together the 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Stir the flour into the egg mixture. Use your hands to finish combining the wet and dry ingredients. Break apart and roughly chop the hazelnuts and gently work half of them into the dough. Reserve remaining half for snacking.
• Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Using your hands, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface. Form each half of the dough into a loaf-like shape about 2 inches wide and about 12 inches long. They should look like 2 loaves of bread. Carefully arrange the 2 loaves, side by side, on the baking sheet. For optimum baking, leave as much space as possible between the loaves.
• Put the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake, undisturbed, for 25 to 30 minutes. The dough should be light brown and may rise a little as it cooks. Remove from the oven and put onto a flat surface to cool. Turn the oven off.
• Once cooled, using a serrated knife, gently saw the loaf into 1/2-inch thick slices, cut on an angle. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet, cut sides up, in a single layer. There should be a little space between each slice. It will almost feel like the loaves are 2 puzzles that you take apart by cutting and then put back together on the baking sheet.
• Return the baking sheet to the oven. Allow them to sit in the oven for 10 minutes. This will cause the biscotti to firm up and toast, but only ever so slightly. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve with lemon curd.
• In a large, stainless steel pot, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest and orange zest. Continue to whisk until the mixture lightens in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice and orange juice.
• Put the pot over low heat and cook and stir constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Take care to scrape the sides of the pot so the curd doesnt form a crust on the edges or scorch as it cooks. After a few minutes, start gradually whisking in the slices of butter. When all of the butter is integrated, remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the curd to another bowl to cool, then cover it tightly with a layer of plastic wrap. The plastic should be placed directly on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.
• Serve in a bowl alongside the biscotti for dunking or spreading on the biscotti like jam.
• Yield: about 1 to 1 1/2 cups curd
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Ease of preparation: easy

HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Combine the sugar, 1/4 cup butter, liqueur, nuts and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush lightly with the remaining butter. Set aside.
• Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of flour on a flat surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Shape the dough into 2 6-by-2 1/2-inch logs. Place on the baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool on a rack.
• Cut the loaf crosswise into 1-inch slices. Place the slices, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn once after 10 minutes. Cool and store in a airtight container.

FIG AND WALNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and anise. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until they're pale yellow and hold a ribbon for 1 second when whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in zest.
• Fold egg mixture into flour mixture until combined. Fold in figs and walnuts. Lightly spray a parchment-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Divide dough in half on parchment. Spray hands with cooking spray; form each piece of dough into a 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, about 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let logs cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Cut each log on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place slices, cut side up, on sheet. Bake 7 minutes, flip biscotti, and bake 7 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

CINNAMON HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; mix into the egg mixture. Stir in the hazelnuts. Shape dough into two equal logs approximately 12 inches long. Place logs on baking sheet, and flatten out to about 1/2 inch thickness.
• Bake for about 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are golden and the center is firm. Remove from oven to cool on the pans. When loaves are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to slice the loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet.
• Bake for an additional 10 minutes, turning over once. Cool completely, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spread hazelnuts in ungreased shallow pan. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown; cool.
• In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, almond extract, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in hazelnuts. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Gently knead 2 to 3 minutes or until dough holds together and hazelnuts are evenly distributed.
• Divide dough in half. On large ungreased cookie sheet, shape each half into 10x3-inch rectangle, rounding edges slightly.
• Bake about 25 minutes or until center is firm to the touch. Cool on cookie sheet 15 minutes; move to cutting board. Using sharp knife, cut each rectangle crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.
• Place 20 slices, cut sides down, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until crisp and light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool. Cool cookie sheet 5 minutes; repeat with remaining slices.

HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir in the vanilla, then add 2 1/2 cups of the flour mixed with baking powder.
• Cut the nuts in half and add them to the dough. The mixture should be thick enough to shape by hand. If not, add the remaining flour little by little until the mixture reaches the right consistency. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Shape the dough into about 6 small loaves that are 2 inches wide, 6 inches long and 1 inch high. Lay them about 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until light gold in color.
• While they are hot, place the loaves on a cutting board and cut them on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices. Place the cookies on the cookie sheet, making sure they do not touch. Bake again for about 10 minutes, until they are golden brown. Watch closely and do not overbake.

HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast 10 to 15 minutes, until they give off a nutty aroma and skins begin to blister. Shake pan occasionally. Let cool, then rub nuts vigorously between a kitchen towel to remove most of the skins. Coarsely chop half of them; set all aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, anise seeds, zest, and salt. Beat together eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients, and mix until a sticky dough is formed. Work in chopped and whole nuts.
• Turn out onto a well-floured board, and divide into two portions. With floured hands, roll into logs about 12 inches long, and transfer to a greased and floured baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees.
• Using a serrated knife, slice logs on an angle into bars about 1/2 inch thick. Return to cookie sheet cut side up, and bake until lightly toasted and hard, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Biscotti will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.