Biscotti are an Italian biscuit – meaning “Twice Cooked” – that are everywhere here in the UK – especially if you’re in a coffee shop. But why pay every day for a biscotti from a shop when you can make loads of them yourself. They’re pretty simple, fun to make, and last for ages. Not to mention they’re at their very best when dunked into a hot drink like a nice latte or a hot chocolate.
The brilliant thing about biscotti is that you’re pretty much unlimited in options as to what you put in them. If you don’t like cranberries or almonds, use something else. Hazelnuts are great too, as is a bit of orange zest, or chocolate chips, or anything you desire really!
Cranberry & Almond Biscotti
Print RecipeIngredients
- 500g Plain Flour
- 250g Caster Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Orange Extract
- 4 Eggs
- 100g Almonds
- 100g Chocolate Chips
- Zest of 1 Orange
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
First, we need to make the dough. So add the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla extract into a large bowl or stand mixer and mix the ingredients together until they come together into a soft dough.
Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto the surface. You'll probably find the dough is quite sticky, so make sure you flour your hands as well. Knead it well for a couple of minutes until it looks quite smooth and soft.
Spread the dough out as much as you can, and then scatter the almonds, chocolate and zest of the orange over the dough.
Now, bring the dough together and knead it well until the nuts and chocolate are well combined into the dough. Try to make sure there's an even mix with not too many nuts or chocolate in one single area of the dough.
Line a baking tray with baking paper (or a silicone sheet if you have one) and lay the dough out onto the tray a loaf-type shape that is as long and as shallow as you can make it, but you don't want them to be flat. Think of a ciabatta-type shape.
Place the tray in the oven on the middle shelf for 35 - 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Slice the biscotti into pieces, about 1 - 2cm thick, and then place them back onto the baking tray with the cut sides facing up.
Place the biscotti back into the oven for another 15 - 20 minutes. Turn them halfway through so both sides get cooked evenly.
Leave the biscotti to cool completely, and enjoy with a hot coffee or chocolate. When not being enjoyed, place them into an airtight container and they should last you for weeks!
