Biscotti is basically a twice baked cake. The variations which can be done to the biscotti is limited only by one’s imagination. I love biscotti for its crunchiness and mid sweetness, but for some reason I had always assumed this was tedious to make and kept postponing it. But friends, it is very easy to make compared to the tons of Indian dishes which we make. How simple does mix, bake, slice and bake sound? The only thing I would recommend is to use a serrated knife to cut the bread into slices as otherwise it will crumble. This is my first time baking with pistachios and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. K and my friends loved the biscotti.
For all recipes I jump into substitutions right away taking pictures as I make it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it is a flop. The time spent in taking pictures become a waste since I won’t be posting it if it is a flop. Yeah I know I have to try it first before taking pictures, but I get carried away
. So for this recipe I decided to go ahead with the actual recipe and work on substitutions later. Will update the post with my variations as I have totally fallen in love with biscotti.
As I mentioned you can use any nut, dry fruits, chocolate chips and so on. The pistachios look so pretty right? Off to making the biscotti.
Ingredients
3/4 cup pistachios
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Yields
Around 16-18 based on size.
References
Recipe Source : Tyler Florence
Method
Preheat oven to 350F. Place the pistachios in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in oven for around 8 – 10 minutes until the nuts are lightly roasted.
Remove the outer skin as much as possible.
Mix the dry ingredients together. (All purpose flour, baking powder and salt.)
Take butter in a mixing bowl.
Beat the butter until light and fluffy.
Add eggs.
Add sugar.
Add vanilla extract.
Mix well.
Add the dry ingredients.
Mix until it comes together forming a soft dough.
Add the pistachios.
Combine using a spatula or the mixer itself.
Remove the dough on to a lightly floured surface.
Form a log around 12 inches long and 1 inch high roughly. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F.
After 30 minutes the bread has a nice brown crust at the bottom. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and slice diagonally into 1 inch thick pieces using a serrated knife.
It is important to use a serrated knife as otherwise the bread will crumble, particularly in the middle.
Slices ready for the second baking. Place the slices back in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove and turn the slices over and bake for another 7 minutes.
Out of the oven with a light brown crust.
Tasty biscotti ready and it vanished in minutes. It was crunchy, slightly sweet and perfect with a cup of tea. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Enjoy!