Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti

Biscotti.....

They are undoubtedly the perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot tea. Rustic, but still elegant. And after going for a 'dunk', melt in your mouth delicious.



These have the added pleasure of a little sweetness from the cranberries and some added crunch as well as a little salty bite from the pistachios (my pistachios were salted). Biscotti are about as simple as a cookie comes, and homemade biscotti are not even comparable to the store bought variety. You know you want to.....make some!



Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti
adapted from Williams Sonoma Baking Essentials

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a stand mixer, combine eggs and sugar and beat at medium speed until light in color and thick (approx 3 minutes). Add the melted butter, orange zest, vanilla and almond extract and blend until combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer and blend until just combined. Then add the pistachios and cranberries, and again, mix until just combined.

You will have enough dough for 2 cookie 'logs'. Remove half of the cookie dough from the mixing bowl and on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, form a flat 'log' about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. It doesn't have to be perfect, these are beautiful rustic looking cookies. Just pat and shape until you've got it about right. Then, scoot that bad boy over, and shape a similar 'log' with the remaining cookie dough.

Bake the logs in the oven for for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be firm, golden and a little crisp on the outside. Let logs cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Gently transfer one log to a cutting board and using a serrated knife, slice the log into 3/4 inch wide pieces. Do the same with the other log.

Lay the slices back on the parchment lined cookie sheet with the cut side down, and bake again for 17 to 22 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes immediately out of the oven, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.