Festive Dried Fruit Biscotti Recipes

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
• The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

FRUITY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Put the flour, baking powder, spice and sugar in a large bowl, then mix well. Stir in the eggs and zest until the mixture starts forming clumps, then bring the dough together with your hands - it will seem dry at first but keep kneading until no floury patches remain. Add the fruit and nuts, then work them in until evenly distributed.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece into a sausage about 30cm long. Place 2 on each tray, well spaced apart. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough has risen and spread and feels firm. It should still look pale. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack for a few mins until cool enough to handle, then turn down the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1.
• Using a bread knife, cut into slices about 1cm thick on the diagonal, then lay the slices flat on the baking sheets. The biscuits can be cooled and frozen flat on the sheet at this point, then bagged and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake for another 15 mins (20 mins if from frozen), turn over, then bake again for another 15 mins until dry and golden. Tip onto a wire rack to cool completely, then store in an airtight tin for up to one month, or pack into boxes or cellophane bags if giving as gifts straightaway.

FESTIVE DRIED FRUIT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat margarine until soft.
• Beat in sugar and eggs.
• Add melted white chocolate,juice and extract until combined.
• With your hand fold in remaining ingredients. The dough will be sticky.
• Form dough into logs almost as long as the cookie sheet and place 3 inches apart.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Remove biscotti from oven and let cool 5 minutes before slicing diagonally.
• Return to oven and toast on each side for 5-10 minutes.
• Store in air-tight containers.

BASIC BISCOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

• Cream together oil and sugar; beat in eggs and then vanilla. Add sifted flour and remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
• Fold in fruits or nuts or other ingredients if you are adding any.
• Flour your hands so the dough doesn't stick to you and form 2 loaves or "flat logs" on a cookie sheet making them the width of cookie you want.
• Bake the loaves at 375 deg. F for 15 minutes then lower temperature to 300 deg. F and bake for 30 minutes. When the loaves are nicely browned on the outside, take them out of the oven.
• Using a bread knife, slice loaves into individual cookies about 1/2 to 3/4" thick. Place freshly cut biscotti on the cookiesheet on their side and put back into the oven for 5 minutes on each side to crisp up.
• Yummy treat.

TONI'S TROPICAL BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, orange zest and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in coconut, mangoes and pistachios., Divide dough in half. On ungreased baking sheets, shape each half into a 12x4-in. rectangle. Bake 15-20 minutes or until firm to the touch., Cool on pans on wire racks until cool enough to handle. Transfer baked rectangles to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut crosswise into 1/2-in. slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets, cut side down. Bake 6-7 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.,

CHRISTMAS BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Blend sugar and butter together using an electric mixer in another bowl. Beat in eggs, orange oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Sift in flour mixture and beat until completely incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips, cranberries, and pecans. Divide dough in half and form into rectangles on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes; slice into biscotti as desired. Return to the oven and bake until toasted, about 15 minutes per side.