Giada Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti Recipes

CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture and mix well (dough will be sticky). Stir in chocolate chips, pistachios and cranberries., Divide dough into 4 portions. On ungreased baking sheets, shape portions into 10x2-1/2-in. rectangles. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake 20-25 minutes or until set. Carefully remove to wire racks; cool 5 minutes. , Transfer to a cutting board; cut each rectangle into 10 slices. Place cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 5-8 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Place the pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven, shaking the baking sheet occasionally, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly. Roughly chop, then cool completely.
• In a mixer, beat together the butter, vanilla, salt, eggs and egg yolk. Add the flour, sugar and baking powder and mix on low until a rough dough begins to form. Add the pistachios and chocolate chips and continue to mix. If the dough seems dry, add some cold water a teaspoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, add a pinch of flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and knead gently to make sure the chocolate chips and pistachios are evenly distributed. Divide the dough in half, and shape each into a 10-by-3-inch log. Place onto one of the prepared baking sheets and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Let the biscotti rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
• Slice the logs into 3/4-inch pieces, and arrange them on the baking sheets, cut-side down. Bake until toasted and golden on top, about 25 minutes. Flip them over and continue to bake until dry and just barely golden brown, another 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Biscotti will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lay the pistachios on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until the nuts are lightly toasted. Remove from the oven.
• In an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, gradually add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla; mix until creamed. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dough until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the pistachios until evenly distributed.
• Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Roll each half into a log, each 12 inches long by 1-inch high. Place the logs on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly brown. Let the logs cool for 5 minutes and then place on a cutting board. Slice each log on a diagonal into 12 1-inch thick pieces. Put the cookies back on the cookie sheet and bake 5 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake the other side for another 5 minutes. Store cookies in an airtight container.

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.

PISTACHIO, CHERRY AND CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Combine the biscotti, butter and sugar in a food processor. Blend until the mixture forms moist crumbs that stick together when pressed. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until golden and feels firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Spread the cherry preserves over the cooled crust leaving a 1/2 to 1-inch border.
• For the filling: Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the dried cherries and 1/2 cup of the pistachios. Pour the chocolate filling over the cherry preserves and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup pistachios on top. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.
• Loosen the tart from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the edge. Unmold the tart and transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt flakes, if using. Cut into wedges and serve.

CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO FUDGE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the crust: Place the pistachios, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to roughly chop. Add the graham crackers and pulse until finely chopped. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the springform pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream, vanilla and salt until just beginning to simmer around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, and then whisk until smooth and shiny. Pour the chocolate filling over the crust and sprinkle with the chopped apricots. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.
• Serve with whipped cream if desired.