So here I am with the first item - the biscuit to win all dunking wars whether you drink coffee or tea or hot chocolate or milk - the biscotti stands up to them all - and the great thing about them is you can tailor them to your own taste once you have mastered the recipe - they will sit happily in the tin for weeks (at least a month) and freeze like a dream (although the defrosted ones are a little softer so pop them in a medium oven for 5 minutes to crisp up again) Biscotti are also not an overly sweet biscuit so make a nice change from the over rich foods of the season!
So for this trial run (yes they have a good shelf life but they probably wont get to see it out!) I have made Chocolate brownie biscotti and Christmas Biscotti
A word to the wise - biscotti are made to be dunked - it is their ambition in life and so they are hard - trying to eat them with out dunking can result in trips to the dentist! you have been warned - however dunk and nibble dunk and nibble is the perfect way to eat them!
Chocolate Brownie Biscotti
This makes a chocolate heaven hit of a biscuit - perfect for an indulgent coffee on a winters day - santa will thank you if you leave one of these out for him with his hot milk!
Makes around 20 fairly large biscuits
Weigh out the ingrediants and put the chocolate chips and walnuts to one side. Place the egg yolk and water together in a bowl and whisk together - place to one side.
In a large bowl place the sugar and butter and mix until pale. Whisk in the two eggs (one at a time) until you have a smooth batter. Add in the dry ingrediants slowly mixing well - dependant on your mixer you may need to go over to a wooden spoon to mix in the last bits - now add the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix in well (hands maybe easier)
Divide the mix in two and roll out into sausages - this is where you decide on how big or small your biscuits are going to be - place on a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking tray and squash gently to flatten the sausages until they are about 1inch thick (they will spread and rise a little so leave a space between them) Use the egg and water brush the top of each log.
Place in a preheated 180C oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and remove the greaseproof paper and the biscotti logs to a wire cooling rack.
Allow to cool for no more than 10 minutes - it is a fine line between them getting too cold and crumbling when you try and cut and being too hot to handle so practice!
Once you can handle the logs place on a cutting board and with a very sharp knife slice into inch wide biscuits - some people say use a bread knife but I find it easiest with just a sharp carver knife and cut by pushing down rather than trying to drag and cut.
Place the little biscotti back on the baking tray laying flat on their side.
Return to the oven for 10 minutes, remove and turn the slices over and cook for a further 10 minutes (you need asbestos fingers at this point so be careful!)
Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully on a wire rack then store in an air tight tin or freeze.
For a little extra taste of luxury drizzle the cold biscotti with a bit of melted chocolate!
Christmas BiscottiNothing says christmas more than mixed spice, ginger and orange - and these biscuits have all of these and just a little bit of festive red and green thrown in too!
350g plain flour , plus extra for rolling
2 tsp mixed spice
250g golden caster sugar
90g shelled pistachios
2tsp baking powder
3 eggs beaten
Grated zest of a tangerine and its juice
90g dried cranberries
50g crystalised ginger
In a large bowl mix together the flour, spice, sugar, baking powder and grated zest and stir together.
Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg a little at a time - this makes a dough quickly so I find it easier to use my hands - add half the tangerine juice and mix until all the flour is combined - it may look a little dry but keep going if it wont come together then add in a little more of the juice.
Tip out on to a floured board and knead in the cranberries, ginger and pistachios - it is a bit fiddly and the filling will make a bid for freedom so dont make it in your best party dress
Once everything is combined divide into 4 and roll out in to equal sized logs (I like to make these smaller than the chocolate ones as they are so packed with flavour) Place on a lined baking tray and squash to about 1inch flat. Use either and egg wash or a little milk to brush the top of each log.
Place in a preheated 180C oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and remove the greaseproof paper and the biscotti logs to a wire cooling rack.
Allow to cool for no more than 10 minutes - it is a fine line between them getting too cold and crumbling when you try and cut and being too hot to handle so practice!
Once you can handle the logs place on a cutting board and with a very sharp knife slice into inch wide biscuits - some people say use a bread knife but I find it easiest with just a sharp carver knife and cut by pushing down rather than trying to drag and cut.
Place the little biscotti back on the baking tray laying flat on their side.
Return to the oven for 10 minutes, remove and turn the slices over and cook for a further 10 minutes (you need asbestos fingers at this point so be careful!)
Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully on a wire rack then store in an air tight tin or freeze
Again dipping or drizzling with melted chocolate will add a little luxury to these little biscuits and they look very pretty in celophane bags tied with ribbons for gifts.
