Holiday Biscotti Food

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

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.

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

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.

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with a light coat of cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, baking soda, salt, eggs and extracts together.
• Add in the almond flour and 2 cups of all purpose flour and mix with a large wooden spoon.
• Begin stirring in the nuts and candied fruit. Sprinkle in the remain 1/4 cup of flour. At this point you will need to put the spoon down and knead by hand. Knead 8 or 9 times until the fruit and nuts are well distributed.
• Divide the dough in half and shape into logs about 9-10 inches long. Be sure that your logs are of an even width from top to bottom. Place on baking sheet several inches apart and lightly flatten the top. (Note the width of the loaves will double in baking.).
• In a small bowl, combine egg and water and blend. Using a pastry brush apply a light egg wash to the tops of each loaf.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack for 8-10 minutes.
• Take loaves and slice on diagonal making wedges 1/2 inch thick. Place slices on baking sheet cut sides up and bake for 3-5 minutes. Turn the cookies over and return to the oven and bake an additional 5-8 minutes. Cookies will be dry and crisp to the touch.
• Place on rack and allow to cool completely before storing.
• Note: For holiday trays you can also make smaller biscotti by dividing the dough into 3 loaves. Reduce initial baking time to 25 minutes. Use the lower ranges in the times given for the second baking. In thirds, my loaves were about 4 inches long, longer when cut on the diagonal.

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

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.

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

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.

HOLIDAY GINGERBREAD BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place almonds into a 8 or 9-inch square pan; bake until golden, 10-15 minutes. Let cool.
• Coarsely chop almonds, set aside for now.
• In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, molasses and ginger until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
• In a bowl, stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and the almonds.
• Add into the egg mixture; stir to blend.
• On 2 greased 12x15-inch baking sheets with floured hands, pat dough into 4 flat loaves.
• Space evenly on sheets; each loaf about 1/2-inch thick, 2 inches wide and the length of the baking sheet.
• Bake until browned at edges and springy to the touch, about 25 minutes. Switch positions of pans halfway through baking.
• Let loaves stand on sheets until cool enough to touch, then cut into long, 1/2-inch thick diagonal slices.
• On baking sheets, arrange slices close together with cut side down.
• Return to oven bake 15 to 18 minutes longer; switch positions of pans halfway through baking.

ULTIMATE HOLIDAY BISCOTTI (CHOCOLATE MINT BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
• Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl.
• Using food processor or electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in extract. Mix in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in peppermint crunch chips.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. (Dough will feel very sticky). Flour hands before handling dough.
• Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 15-inch log (about 1 1/4 inches wide). Carefully transfer logs to a prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.
• Bake logs until almost firm to touch but still pale, 25-30 minutes Cool logs on baking sheet 10 minutes.
• Carefully transfer logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, cut logs crosswise diagnally into 1/2 inch thick slices.
• Place slices, cut side down, on prepared cookie sheet. Bake until firm and golden, about 9 minutes. Turn biscotti over and cook approximately another 9 mins or until just turning golden. Transfer biscotti to racks and cool.
• GARNISH: Melt chocolate.( I put the chips in a microwavable bowl and heat for about 1 minute constantly watching. I then stir and if chocolate needs more melting I ad another 30 secs. until chocolate is melted.) (DO NOT OVER COOK or chocolate will become dry and hard and burnt!).
• Dip 1 long side of each biscotti into melted chocolate. Place cookies on wax paper or tin foil and let stand until chocolate is firm.

DIABETIC HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
• Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined.
• Beat in the 3/4 cup egg whites, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, adding the Splenda with the first two flour additions.
• Stir in any remaining flour; the anise and fennel seeds; and the cranberries, pistachios, and apricots with a wooden spoon.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or till dough is easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 12-inch-long log 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place logs at least 3 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Flatten each log slightly to 3/4-inch thickness.
• Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water.
• Brush over logs.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till light brown.
• Cool logs on cookie sheet 1 hour or till completely cool.
• When logs are cool, preheat oven to 325 dgrees F. Transfer logs to a cutting board.
• Cut each log diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Lay slices down on cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
• Turn slices over, and bake 5 minutes more or till dry and crisp.
• Remove and cool on wire racks. Makes about 48.
• TO STORE:: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, dust with 1/4 cup flour and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, butter, orange marmalade, orange zest and salt. Using a handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and beat until just blended. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
• On the prepared pan, form the dough into a 3-by-13-inch log. (Using a small offset spatula or dusting your hands with flour will help keep the dough from sticking to your hands.) Bake until the log is firm to the touch, cracked on top and looks dry, about 35 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes on the tray.
• Place the log on a cutting board and using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange the biscotti cut-side down on the tray. Bake until they are a dry and fragrant, an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a cooling rack and cool completely.

CHRISTMAS BISCOTTI

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.