I often make biscotti at Christmas time. The jewel colours of the cranberries and pistachios look so pretty and the biscuits themselves are not overly sweet, so they are perfect with a cup of coffee.  I found this recipe in ‘Red’ Christmas Food and Entertaining magazine back in 2013. The biscotti are very easy to make; one batch makes a lot, so they are ideal to give as festive gifts.

Over the years I have made dreadful mistakes with biscotti including making them so hard they would break your teeth. So now, I cut the biscotti as thin as I can, around 3mm instead of the ones I see in coffee shops of 1cm. The thin versions mean that you don’t need a visit to the dentist and you can have two per portion so win-win!

Ingredients

300g plain flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

160g caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon orange zest

130g dried cranberries

140g unsalted pistachios

 

Method

Preheat oven to 160 C/ gas mark 3

Place the flour, baking powder and sugar into a bowl and mix until combined.

Add the eggs, vanilla, orange zest, cranberries and pistachios and mix until a smooth dough is formed.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.

Divide the dough into two equal portions and roll each portion into a 20cm long log. Flatten slightly and place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until firm. Set aside to cool.

Use a serrated knife to cut the logs into 3mm thick slices.

Lay the biscotti on the tray and bake for a further 8-10 minutes or until golden and crisp.