Biscotti is one of those endlessly flexible recipes - you can add any combination of ingredients that appeals to you…kind of like ice cream mix-in’s only in a delicious crunchy cookie.  If you have never had good biscotti, you probably associate it with those things they stick in bird cages that you need a sharp beak to approach…and you wonder why on earth anyone would choose something so unappealing as a snack.

Once you’ve had good biscotti, I promise you will understand. While a mediocre biscotti may run the risk of cracking a tooth, GOOD biscotti will produce a satisfying crunch and then melt in your mouth.

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Originating in the Tuscan region of Italy and known there as cantucci di prato, they were traditionally made with almonds , making use of Prato’s plentiful almond groves.  Biscotti in Italy doesn’t necessarily refer to the twice baked variety we mean by it here in the states - in Italy, biscotti just means cookie.   

 Biscotti as we know it here is a twice baked cookie - thus the crunchiness.  They are baked in a log that spreads into more of a loaf in the oven, then sliced and baked again for a short time to crisp the cut edges.  The idea is for a sturdy crisp cookie that can withstand being dunked in a beverage like coffee or tea or a dessert wine like Vin Santo.  

I’ve personally never understood this phenomenon.  If you need to dunk it to soften it so it won’t break your teeth, something is wrong. And if it’s not dental-work inducing, it leaves a flotilla of crumbs mucking up your drink?!  But hey, that’s just me - my son argues otherwise, dunk away if you like!

 We recently procured some packaged thin sliced biscotti  which comes with individually wrapped portions of 3 thin biscotti slices for the illusion (?!) of eating 3 cookies instead of what would be 1 traditional size biscotti cookie if you stacked them together.  And while they were tasty, there weren’t very many in the box.  Which got me thinking about the possibilities of making my own version…

So when the craving for a little something sweet hit at 8:30 last night, I dug an old Cookies and Biscotti Williams Sonoma cookbook out of my stash and compared recipes.  Preparation methods and ingredients varied a little, but I settled on more or less following the pistachio orange biscotti recipe in the cookbook.  

It called for grated orange rind which I did not have, and at 8:30 I was not inclined to go ingredient shopping. But I wanted something more akin to dried fruit anyway and we had diced candied orange peel on hand….dried cranberries would have worked too.  We also really like the pairing of pistachio and cardamom so I threw in some of that as well.

Orange Pistachio Cardamom Biscotti

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground cardamom 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 eggs

• 7 oz shelled pistachios (~1 1/2 cups)

• 2 oz diced candied orange peel (~1/4 cup)

Directions

• sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom and set aside

• in the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy

• add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition

• mix in pistachios and candied orange peel

• reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated

• cover and refrigerate dough until well chilled (about 1 hr)

• set oven to 350’ and line a baking sheet with parchment

• divide dough into 2 balls, on a lightly floured mat roll each ball into a log about 1 1/2” in diameter

• transfer logs to baking sheet, placing them at least 5” apart (they will spread while baking)

• bake until lightly browned and firm to the touch, around 30 minutes 

• remove from oven and let cool slightly, transfer to cutting board, slice loaves on a slight diagonal to desired thickness

• place slices cut side down on parchment lined baking sheets (you can reuse the same one - if you do thin slices, you may need 2 sheets)

• bake 10-15 minutes longer

Enjoy warm from the oven or store in an airtight container for up to two weeks…you don’t really need to know this as they won’t last that long.  We only have 3 people in my household and we’ve already eaten more than half of the cookies. In less than 24 hrs.

If you don’t want a mountain of temptation sitting around, plan to package some for gifting. I like to use these clear cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon. Make some biscotti for your favorite people for Valentine’s Day gifts and package with pink or red ribbons!

What I learned

• I could add a bit more cardamom - this amount was noticeable but quite subtle

• I was dubious about the 1 1/2” diameter and made my logs a little thicker…this was not necessary and they spread wider than I would have liked and were a tad underbaked in the middle on the first bake and messier to slice as a result

• I really liked the texture from this recipe, pleasantly crispy but not rock hard, so I would keep the proportions of the staple ingredients (butter/flour/sugar/eggs) the same the next time. 

• These are a bit addictive and if you slice them thin it makes a LOT…I didn’t count, but I’m guessing around 5 dozen.

Variations and Embellishments

• Drizzle the finished biscotti with melted white or dark chocolate or dip the ends in melted chocolate for extra decadence…or even dip in melted chocolate and then roll them in crushed nuts

• Glaze citrus flavored versions with lemon or orange glaze (made by mixing a bit of juice into a cup of powdered sugar)

• Lightly toast nuts prior to use for depth of flavor. Use pistachios, almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, or leave the nuts out altogether.

• Make the dough chocolate flavored with the addition of cocoa powder (~1/4 cup should work)

• Use raisins, dried cranberries, diced dried apricots, dried cherries, chopped dates, or diced candied ginger (pretty much any soft dried fruit)

• Add anise, almond extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips, caramel chips, cinnamon chips, lemon rind, orange rind, or shredded sweetened coconut

Like I said, the possibilities are endless…go wild! 

Buon Appetito!