These are always a favourite, it does't have to be Christmas. Oonce you add a bit of colour with the branberries or cherries, voila, Christmas Biscotti.
You can store in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
makes approximately 32 biscotti
| 2/3 cups sugar | 1/2 tsp cardamon |
| 1/3 cup butter, softened | 1/2 tsp vanilla extract |
| 2 tsp baking powder | 1 1/2 tsp cinammon |
| 2 eggs | 1/2 tsp anise extract |
| 2 cups all purpose flour | |
| 3/4 cups dried cranberries or cherries | |
| 3/4 cups chopped pistachios or almonds |
In a large bowl, beat butter on medium mixer speed for 30 seconds.
Add sugar, baking powder, cardamon, vanilla extract, cinammon and anise extract and mix until combined.
Beat in the eggs.
Then add the flour one cup at a time, and until you cannot mix in any more with mixer. Stir in the remaining flour and add the cranberries and pistachios or almonds.
If dough is easy to handle, divide in half. If necessary, cover and chill for about an hour or until easier to handle.
Prehat oven at 375 degrees.
Shape each half of dough into a 9" loaf and place on a lightly greases cookie sheet. be sure that loaves are at least 4" apart. Flatten the loaves until they are about 2" high.
Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes. Test by inserting toothpick in cetre of loaf and coming out clean. Cool loaves for at least 1 hour.
With a serrated knife, cut each loaf diagonally into 1/2" slices. Place slices (cut side down) on ungreased cookie sheet and back at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for another 8-10 minutes.
Cool on wire rack