One of the thngs I love about the Holidays are the ingredients that take over almost everything I bake - dried fuits, nuts and candied lemon and orange peels.
Add suet and sugar, and I've got mincemeat. Add figs, eggs, breadcrumbs and spices and I'm making traditional Christmas boiled puddings.
Which is why I love these biscotti for the holidays. They make wonderful gifts just like the mincemeat pies wrapped up in gorgeous festive packaging.
This right here is my basic biscotti recipe all spruced up! Why mess with a good thing? And my basic biscotti recipe from this post here, is a perfect starting point.
Which brings me to why I think it's so Christmassy - dried fruits like currants and golden raisins, pistachios, sliced almonds, chopped up orange and lemon peel and home blended spice mix and you've on your way to a perfect batch of gift worthy Biscotti.
Give it a go and see for yourselves!
Gather the ingredients,
Bejewelled Christmas Biscotti
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice (see recipe below)
Zest of 1 large orange
1-1/2 stick (12 tbs) unsalted butter
4 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/4 cup regular white sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
½ cup dried golden raisins
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup pistachios
¼ cup chopped candied peels – lemon or orange-lemon mix.
Mixed spice:
- 1/2 Tbs ground allspice
- 1/2 Tbs ground cinnamon
- 1/2 Tbs ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground mace
- 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
- Blend all spices together, and store in a sealed jar away from light.
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
Line 2 qty 11’ x 17’ baking sheets/pans with parchment paper.
Orange: Using a zester, grate the zest and set aside.
Eggs: Crack in a bowl, discard the shells and beat the eggs with a fork.
Add-Ins: In a bowl, measure and combine the dried fuits & nuts
Butter: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter - this should take about a minute.
Fit the electric stand mixer with a beater blade.
Combine flour, salt & baking powder in a bowl.
In the bowl of the electric mixer, combine the melted butter, sugar, orange zest, and beat until pale - 1 minute or so. Add eggs and continue to beat well till combined.
Add the flour in 2-3 batches. Once a soft dough has formed, add all the dried fruits & nuts add-ins and combine.
Rub some oil on your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Halve the dough.
Form the dough into about 2 equal logs. Place the logs on the baking pans/sheets well apart.
Flatten each of the logs to a rectangle about 3" wide and 3/4" thick.
Bake for 20 minutes until the dough has puffed up and slightly golden brown.
Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Know-how: If you do not cool the dough before cutting into slices, it will crumble so you must cool before cutting!
Reduce oven temp to 325 deg F
Use a sharp serrated bread knife and saw into ½-3/4” thick diagonal slices slowly to prevent breaking.
Cook's Note: The biscotti's will have wet centers and may crumble easily so use both hands to transfer the slices to the lined pans.
Place the slices face up on the baking pans and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Gently turn over and bake for another 10 minutes on the other side.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes until easy to handle. Cool on baking racks before serving.
Enjoy!
Make Ahead tips: Cool completely (for several hours or overnight) storing in air tight containers.
Can be frozen for several months wrapped in plastic wrap, Aluminum foil and zip loc bags for several months.
Recipe for
Bejewelled Christmas Biscotti
Prep time: 15 minutes/ Cooling time: 30 minutes/ Total Baking time: 40-50 minutes/Makes 24 pieces
Shopping list
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice (see recipe below)
Zest of 1 large orange
1-1/2 stick (12 tbs) unsalted butter
4 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/4 cup regular white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
½ cup dried golden raisins
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup pistachios
¼ cup chopped candied peels – lemon or orange-lemon mix.
Mixed spice:
- 1/2 Tbs ground allspice
- 1/2 Tbs ground cinnamon
- 1/2 Tbs ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground mace
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Blend all spices together, and store in a sealed jar away from light.
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
Line 2 qty 11’ x 17’ baking sheets/pans with parchment paper.
Preparation:
Orange: Using a zester, grate the zest and set aside.
Eggs: Crack in a bowl, discard the shells and beat the eggs with a fork.
Add-Ins: In a bowl, measure and combine the dried fuits & nuts
Butter: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter - this should take about a minute.
Method:
Fit the electric stand mixer with a beater blade.
Combine flour, salt & baking powder in a bowl.
In the bowl of the electric mixer, combine the melted butter, sugar, orange zest and beat until pale - 1 minute or so. Add eggs and continue to beat well till combined.
Add the flour in 2-3 batches. Once a soft dough has formed, add all the dried fruits & nuts add-ins and combine.
Rub some oil on your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Halve the dough.
Form the dough into about 2 equal logs. Place the logs on the baking pans/sheets well apart.
Flatten each of the logs to a rectangle about 3" wide and 3/4" thick.
Bake for 20 minutes until the dough has puffed up and slightly golden brown.
Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Know-how: If you do not cool the dough before cutting into slices, it will crumble so you must cool before cutting!
Reduce oven temp to 325 deg F
Use a sharp serrated bread knife and saw into ½-3/4” thick diagonal slices slowly to prevent breaking.
Cook's Note: The biscotti's will have wet centers and may crumble easily so use both hands to transfer the slices to the lined pans.
Place the slices face up on the baking pans and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Gently turn over and bake for another 10 minutes on the other side.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes until easy to handle. Cool on baking racks before serving.
Enjoy!
Make Ahead tips: Cool completely (for several hours or overnight) storing in air tight containers.
Can be frozen for several months wrapped in plastic wrap, Aluminum foil and zip loc bags for several months.
