Christmas Biscotti Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Blend sugar and butter together using an electric mixer in another bowl. Beat in eggs, orange oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Sift in flour mixture and beat until completely incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips, cranberries, and pecans. Divide dough in half and form into rectangles on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes; slice into biscotti as desired. Return to the oven and bake until toasted, about 15 minutes per side.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour a baking sheet.
• In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and orange zest until blended.
• In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cloves and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until blended.
• Stir in cranberries and pistachios.
• Divide the dough in half.
• One at a time, place the 2 dough portions on the prepared baking sheet and form each into a log about 1/2 inch high, 1 1/2 inches wide and 14 inches long.
• Space logs at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake the logs for 25-30 minutes or until set and light brown.
• Transfer to a cutting board and let cool 6-8 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Using a very sharp knife, cut the logs in the diagonal into slices 3/8 inch thick.
• Stand the slices upright on the baking sheet and return the sheet to the oven for 15 minutes to dry the cookies thoroughly.
• Transfer to racks to cool.
• Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

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 20 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 re-sealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

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.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Put the flour, baking powder, spice and sugar in a large bowl, then mix well. Stir in the eggs and zest until the mixture starts forming clumps, then bring the dough together with your hands - it will seem dry at first but keep kneading until no floury patches remain. Add the fruit and nuts, then work them in until evenly distributed.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece into a sausage about 30cm long. Place 2 on each tray, well spaced apart. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough has risen and spread and feels firm. It should still look pale. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack for a few mins until cool enough to handle, then turn down the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1.
• Using a bread knife, cut into slices about 1cm thick on the diagonal, then lay the slices flat on the baking sheets. The biscuits can be cooled and frozen flat on the sheet at this point, then bagged and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake for another 15 mins (20 mins if from frozen), turn over, then bake again for another 15 mins until dry and golden. Tip onto a wire rack to cool completely, then store in an airtight tin for up to one month, or pack into boxes or cellophane bags if giving as gifts straightaway.

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well (dough will be sticky). Stir in cranberries, pistachios and orange zest. Chill for 30 minutes. , Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, shape each half into a loaf 1-1/2 to 2-in. diameter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes. , Cool for 5 minutes. Cut diagonally into 3/4-in. thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Turn slices over. Bake 10 minutes more or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Store in an airtight container.