Tender Biscotti

Cranberry Pecan Biscotti

In past Christmas bakings, I've had my hand on gingerbread houses, stollens and gingerbread cupcakes. I've yet to make a fruit cake, yule log or mincemeat pies, all of  which are synonymous with Christmas. Maybe I'll attempt making them next Christmas, but this year I wanted to try making biscotti and decided to use a recipe adapted & tweaked from Christines's Recipe. Mind you, these are not the 'tooth-breaking' type of biscotti like those you'd normally find in Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. These are crisp, buttery and tender, somewhat akin to shortbread, and crumbles easily  when you take a bite. Simply delish!

No dunking in coffee needed. Even my Grandmother enjoyed this with no problem!

Cranberry Pecan Biscotti

Ingredients:
70g salted butter
35 g catser sugar
35 g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
125 g cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
50 g pecans, roughly chopped
50 g dried cranberries

Method:
1) Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add in the vanilla essence and egg, mix well.
2) Sift cake flour together with baking powder, add into the butter mixture. Combine well.
3) Fold in the pecans and cranberries.
4) Wrap dough with clingfilm and shape into a rectangular log. Transfer to the fridge to let it  stiffen so that it can be easily transfered to the baking tray.
5) Remove dough from fridge and give it a final shaping, if  needed. Discard Clingfilm. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 °C for 35 minutes or until firm to the touch.
6) Transfer dough to cool for at least 10 minutes, then carefully slice into even fingers about 1 cm thick, thinner if you could without crumbling. Transfer the slices onto a baking tray and bake again at 150 °C for about 20 minutes or until dry and crisp.
7) Cool completely  on wire rack and keep in airtight container.

For easy handling, wrapped in clingfilm and shaped.

Removed from fridge and ready to be baked!



Sliced and baked a 2nd time.



I just love this recipe so much, I  gave it a further tweak to make Almond Cherry Biscotti. They turned out pretty good. Together with the Cranberry Pecan Biscotti, these were devoured in a pot luck dinner I brought to.  I think I will try making a chocolate version by adding cocoa powder, or maybe chocolate chips and walnuts, or white chocolate chips and cranberries, the variety is endless and up to your imagination really!



Almond Cherry Biscotti

 

In the spirit of Christmas joy and just for the fun of it,  I'm going to submit this post to 'Aspiring Bakers #2: Christmas (Dec 2010)' hosted by 'Passionate about Baking' here.
Happy Christmas & Blessed New Year all!



Almond Cherry Biscotti

Ingredients:
70 g butter
35 g caster sugar
35 g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla eseence
1/8 tsp almond essence
1 egg
40 g ground almond
85 g cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
40 g red glaced cherries, sliced in halves
40 g green glaced cherries, sliced in halves

Method:
* Follow instructions as Cranberry Pecan Biscotti. Add in the ground almond together with the sifted cake flour and baking powder. Fold in the glaced cherries last.
* This dough spreads out alot during baking. Please allow plenty of room between doughs on baking pan.