Biscotti – Recipe

Biscotti seems fiddly to make.. I know I was put off it for awhile, after reading various recipes and going “nooo” .. The problem is that not only is the recipe really long (read: scary!) with lots of ingredients, it just somehow seems complicated due to the cutting, twice baking thing.

Then one day I saw someone making it and went “ohhh” ..  Trust me, make it once and you’ll demystify biscotti once and for all.

Makes a great snack or breakfast with a glass of milk. Or dip the ends in dark chocolate and serve with coffee after dinner. Yum!

I’ve made this recipe up after a number of attempts to get just the right blend of tastes, hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Joan’s biscotti

• 500 g plain flour
• 500 g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 100 g sultanas
• 100 g dried cherries or goji berries or anything colourful really
• 100 g shelled pistachio nuts
• 100 g currants
• 100 g whole blanched almonds or pecans (I use pecans!)
• 100 g skinned Hazelnuts
• finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 7 eggs, lightly beaten 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas 4 and line a baking sheet with baking paper (can be done without it but grease the tray well) ..Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. 

Add the fruit, nuts and lemon zest, mixing well.

See how simple this is, really!? Ok cos now it gets fiddly lol

Add the beaten eggs, about a quarter at a time until the dough takes shape but is not too wet.. You may end up with some egg mixture left over ..

Divide the dough into sausage shapes, 3-5cm thick. Lightly flatten the “sausages”, and place on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until pale golden in colour. I don’t like it overly brown but it won’t matter if you over cook it a little here. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a bit. ie 15-20 minutes.. this is just to enable you to handle them.

Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/gas mk 1.

While biscuits are still just warm, slice them and place on the baking sheet. Return to oven to dry out for about 12 minutes. Turn them over and leave to dry for 10-12 minutes more. One time I decided this step wasn’t ness – turns out I was wrong. Do turn them..

That’s it tho – they’re done! 

Seal in a container – these keep for ages, if you don’t eat ’em all, that is!

One time I added chocolate it streaked thru in a very pretty sort of fashion. Otherwise, try more nuts, less fruit. Or ginger chunks – it’s over to you really. I find too many dark fruits ie currants, sultanas etc make it look kinda nasty – just a personal preference thing tho.

Oh and if you can’t be fagged measuring the nuts and fruits – use about 1/3c of each. And yes you can cut out whatever if there’s something you don’t like ..
Enjoy!