Cranberry Nut Biscotti
Submitted by sekhmet
Cranberry nut biscotti are crunchy Italian twice-baked cookies studded with toasted hazelnuts and tart dried cranberries. No butter, so they’re properly crisp and dunkable, with a festive red-and-gold look.
YIELD
36 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsFestive and dunkable, these biscotti pair toasted hazelnuts with tart-sweet dried cranberries for a holiday-worthy red-and-gold cookie.
These are the real, crunchy kind: there’s no butter, just eggs binding the dough, which is what gives proper biscotti their hard, crisp snap and long shelf life.
Toasting the hazelnuts first, then rubbing off their papery skins in a towel, is worth the effort, since it deepens their flavor and removes the bitter skins. An egg-white wash brushed over the logs gives the baked cookies a glossy, golden sheen.
The twice-baking is what makes them. The shaped logs bake first, rest briefly, then get sliced and baked again to dry into crisp, sturdy cookies. They harden as they cool and store for weeks, which makes them a smart make-ahead for gifts and the holiday table.
Chef Tips
- Toast the hazelnuts and rub off the skins for deeper, less bitter flavor.
- Let the baked logs rest about 10 minutes, then slice with a serrated knife so they don’t crumble.
- Don’t skip the second bake; it’s what dries them into crisp, dunkable biscotti.
- Cool completely before storing airtight; they harden as they cool and keep for weeks.
Variations
- Swap hazelnuts for almonds, pistachios, or pecans.
- Use dried cherries or chopped apricots in place of cranberries.
- Dip one end of the cooled biscotti in white or dark chocolate.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Place hazelnuts in 15 ½×10½ jellyroll pan.
Bake 20 minutes, or until toasted.
Wrap hot hazelnuts in a clean cloth towel.
W ith hands, roll towel back and forth to remove skins.
Coarsely chop hazelnuts.
Grease and lightly flour 2 large cookie sheets.
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, with a wire whisk or fork, beat 4 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk (r eserve egg white for later use), vanilla and 1 tablespoon water.
Pour egg mixture into flour mixture, stir with wooden spoon, then use hands to knead dough to gether.
Dough will be very stiff. Knead in hazelnuts and cranberries.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.
On lightly floured surface, with floured hand s, shape each piece of dough into an 11 x 2-inch log.
Place 2 logs, about 4 inches apart, on each cookie sheet.
With fork, lightly beat remaining egg white.
W ith pastry brush, brush the egg white onto the logs.
Place cookie sheets on two oven racks.
Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick cup omes out clean.
Rotate cookie sheets between upper and lower racks halfway thro ugh cooking time.
During baking, logs will spread and become loaf-shaped.
Let l oaves cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet on a rack.
Remove loaves to cutting board.
With a bread knife, cut each loaf crosswise int o ½-inch thick slices.
Place slices cut-side down on same cookie sheets on ov en racks.
Bake slices 10 to 15 minutes to allow Biscotti to toast.
Rotate cooki e sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking time.
Remove Biscotti to wire rack.
Cool completely. Biscotti will harden as they cool. Store in tightly covered container.
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