Guest Post: Cranberry-Pistachio and Cherry-Almond Biscotti

To our collective delight, Sabra is back with today's guest post. These biscotti look like a perfect coffee-or-tea-accompanying treat for a January afternoon. I can't wait to try them!


Cranberry-Pistachio and Cherry-Almond Biscotti

The first time I made biscotti (chocolate-cherry, to be specific) was a couple years ago, and it was a disaster. On the second round of baking, I baked the biscotti for twice as long out of concern for the texture, which seemed rather chewy for my taste. I was making biscotti, after all. When I finally tried a piece after they were completely cooled, I believe I chipped a tooth. Into the garbage went the entire batch. What a baking tragedy!

Eventually, I was inspired to try again after I tasted a piece of homemade cranberry-pistachio biscotti at a holiday party the following year. After I found this recipe (thank you Martha!), I was hooked. Biscotti make great gifts, in part because the recipient is always impressed, “You made these? Aren’t biscotti hard to make?” This is a misconception, although I would recommend following the baking times in the recipe if you want the biscotti to be edible. When I made this recipe, I doubled it to make two batches – one of the original cranberry-pistachio, and one with dried cherries and almonds. Next time I think I’ll try adding coco powder and candied ginger. Yum!

1/2 cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
1/2 cup boiling water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) unsalted pistachios (or raw almonds), coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the cranberries (or cherries) in a small bowl and add the boiling water. Let them stand for about 15 minutes, or until plump, then drain them.

Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until all is combined. Fold in the cranberries and pistachios (or cherries and almonds).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide it in half. It helps to flour your hands, because the dough can be sticky. Shape each piece into a 16 X 2 inch log and put them on the baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Using the palm of your hand, flatten the logs slightly. Brush the beaten egg over the surface of each, and sprinkle them generously with sugar.

Bake the logs, rotating the sheet halfway through, until they are slightly firm to touch and golden around the edges, about 25 minutes. Transfer the logs on the parchment paper to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Place the logs on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal (or straight across horizontally) into 1/2 inch thick slices. It’s important to use a serrated knife and cut gently to avoid smashing the logs. Arrange the slices, cut sides down onto the parchment-covered pan. Bake until firm to touch, about 30 minutes. About half-way through the baking time, turn each of the slices over so that both of the cut sides end up facing up during the baking. Remove the pan from the oven and let the biscotti completely cool on a rack. Enjoy!