Just starting to dig out Christmas cookie recipes and thought I'd share this one for cranberry-orange biscotti. Certainly cranberries are well known for their connection to Christmas but in our house oranges also have a place of honour. Growing up on a Bay of Fundy farm in the 1940s my father remembers receiving only a single orange per year: the one in the toe of his Christmas stocking. Now, of course, oranges are available year round courtesy of cross-border imports from the U.S.A.
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
(makes 2 dozen)
3 1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup whole almonds
1 cup dried sweentened cranberries
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup melted butter
4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
4 tsp finely grated orange rind
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, almonds and cranberries
2. In a seperate bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and orange rind.
3. Stir wet into dry until a soft, sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface. Form into smooth ball. Divide dough in thirds. Roll each into logs, approximately 12 inches long. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.
4. Brush logs with egg white; bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
5. Remove, let cool for 15 minutes. Transfer logs to cutting board. Using a sharp unserated knive, cut diagonally into 3/4 inch thick slices. (To make biscotti longer cut slices at sharper angle).
6. Stand cookies upright on a baking sheet, leaving space between them. Return to oven for 2nd baking for 20 minutes at reduced heat of 325 degrees F.
7. Cool biscotti on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely. Biscotti will keep for a month in an airtight container in the fridge.
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
(makes 2 dozen)
3 1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup whole almonds
1 cup dried sweentened cranberries
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup melted butter
4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
4 tsp finely grated orange rind
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, almonds and cranberries
2. In a seperate bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and orange rind.
3. Stir wet into dry until a soft, sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface. Form into smooth ball. Divide dough in thirds. Roll each into logs, approximately 12 inches long. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.
4. Brush logs with egg white; bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
5. Remove, let cool for 15 minutes. Transfer logs to cutting board. Using a sharp unserated knive, cut diagonally into 3/4 inch thick slices. (To make biscotti longer cut slices at sharper angle).
6. Stand cookies upright on a baking sheet, leaving space between them. Return to oven for 2nd baking for 20 minutes at reduced heat of 325 degrees F.
7. Cool biscotti on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely. Biscotti will keep for a month in an airtight container in the fridge.
This looks great! I'm going to try 'em this week, to see if they're right for Christmas presents this year.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, I remember the orange in the toe of the Christmas stocking ... and I grew up in southern California, where oranges were plentiful! Somehow that was as special as any other gift.
Thanks for the recipe!
This sounds great! Do you think it would hurt to use Splenda instead of the sugar as we have to watch our sugar intake?
ReplyDeletesure splenda might work. There is very little sugar in them (compared with other cookies anyway) so it probably wouldn't wreck the recipe. let me know how you get along! :-)
ReplyDelete