Some people had 12 weeks of Christmas cookies.
Other people had 12 days.
In typical “me” fashion, I threw caution to the wind. And had 12 hours.

It all began at 9 AM on Wednesday, the 23rd. When Sophie ran into me in the kitchen as I was shelling what seemed like my 500th pistachio (and to think the morning had just begun) I informed her that if she found me later that day either (a) in a sugar coma from “taste testing” batch after batch of cookie dough or (b) covered in flour and mumbling incoherently about the melting properties of white chocolate (something I learned – there is a narrow range between the melting and burning points of white chocolate. About two seconds too long in the microwave, to be precise, and your white chocolate is no longer white. Although if you’re a good enough liar, all is not lost. You can probably convince everyone that those brown speckles are just large chunks of vanilla bean. And then hope they don’t notice when you insist on only eating the non-speckled cookies.) she shouldn’t be too alarmed. But she should probably check the oven. Just in case.
The excellent thing about biscotti is that they store extremely well (they are so dry and hard that they basically start off stale) and are pretty resilient. There are also about five thousand types you can make, from sweet to savory varieties, and so there is certainly a biscotti out there for everyone (unless you are Sophie, in which case you don’t like the hard texture. Remedy – I fed her the ends as I was cutting the biscotti before the second bake. I also tried to feed her cookie dough so that I wouldn’t eat it, but she has this aversion to raw eggs. Weird.).

For my flavors this year, I decided to go with a cranberry and pistachio theme. With a few variations thrown into the mix, of course. So in the end, I had one batch of Chocolate Pistachio, one batch of Cranberry Pistachio and one batch of Cranberry Almond. All dipped in both white and dark chocolate.

I am nothing if not an equal opportunist when it comes to chocolate.

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
Makes a lot, adapted from Everyday Food (via Culinary in the Desert)

2 cups AP flour
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shelled pistachios
4 ounces dark chocolate chunks
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in pistachio nuts.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, vanilla and cocoa powder. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. If the dough is too stiff to mix with a spoon, use your hands to bring it together.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Evenly divide dough into two pieces – place each onto the baking sheet and shape into 2 12″ long logs that are roughly 2 1/2″ wide. Flatten logs slightly. Scatter the top of each with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Place into the oven and bake until the loaves are firm to the touch, about 16 to 22 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Use a serrated knife to cut the loaves into roughly 1/2″ thick diagonal slices. Place slices upright on baking sheet and place back into the oven to bake until crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer slices to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cranberry Pistachio (or Almond) Biscotti
Makes a lot, adapted from Bon Appetit

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel (I used 1/2 tsp orange extract)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon whole aniseed (I used 1 tsp cinnamon and I think it was actually crucial to how good these were)
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
3/4 cup shelled pistachios (or sliced almonds)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl to blend well. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lemon peel (orange extract), vanilla, and aniseed (cinnamon). Beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in cranberries and pistachios (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Gather dough together; divide in half. Roll each half into 15-inch-long log (about 1 1/4 inches wide). Carefully transfer logs to 1 prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.

Bake logs until almost firm to touch but still pale, about 28 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet 10 minutes. Lower oven to 325.

Carefully transfer logs still on parchment to cutting board. Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, cut logs crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices, 1 cut side down, on remaining 2 prepared sheets. Bake until firm and pale golden, about 9 minutes per side. Transfer cookies to racks and cool.

For White or Dark Chocolate Dipped Versions

When cookies are cool, pour either white or dark chocolate chips/chunks (or any other flavor of chips/chunks) into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high, stopping every 20 seconds to stir. When the chips are melted, dip one end of the cookie into the chocolate goo and then place on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet to cool. When a sheet is full, pop it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to a half hour to let the chocolate harden.

This is my entry for Have the Cake, the theme of which for this month is biscotti!

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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34 Responses to Have The Cake – Chocolate-Dipped (Chocolate) Cranberry and Pistachio(Almond) Biscotti

  1. i know! i am crazy!hopefully you had a great xmas! i know i did! got some good stuff! =D

    dude, you had SNOW over there?! lucky! well..partly.

  2. amazing biscotti and you are so cute in the pics below lol

  3. these are beautiful cookie store quality

    Got to remember the vanilla bean story. I burnt my white chocolate in the microwave once… double boiler for me from now on… and I watch it

    Hey… hows the leg???

  4. Katy ~ says:

    I can’t melt white chocolate in the micro to save my soul. I’m a double boiler person as well, stir, stir, stir, and keeping my fingers crossed, making it hard to stir, stir, stir, and have to wear my lucky socks at the same time.

    I’ve only made plain biscotti. Someday will have to gussy it all up special the way you have.

  5. kickpleat says:

    The biscotti looks beautiful! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

  6. Donna-FFW says:

    Cranberry and pistachio is one of my new favorite combinations. I HATE peeling the shells off too. Thats the worst job ever. I always melt my white choc in a double boiler. Pain in the ass but it works well. BOTH biscottis look wonderful.

  7. Karen says:

    My basic biscotti recipe is cranberry & walnut, but I’ve substituted pistachios for the walnuts and they are really good. Lotsa cookies for 12 hours 🙂

  8. Amy says:

    Ah, I’m afraid I prefer my cookies soft and muffins moist, which is why I’ve never been a huge fan of biscotti or scones. However, add cranberries and especially pistachios into anything, and I might be converted.

    12 hours of baking, though…I like it!

  9. I do love biscotti – great flavours! I made Nigella’s chocolate cookies four times this month – I think I have them down to a science!

  10. I’ve never thought about making my own biscotti – what kind of Italian am I? ::gasp:: I guess now that you’ve shown me how to do it I have no excuse. You did a fantastic job, it all looks absolutely delicious! 🙂

  11. Jen says:

    These look great, I had fun making mine too dipped in chocolate! 🙂

  12. Karine says:

    Yum biscottis! I made some last night for a dinner and I am planning on making other ones soon. By the way, you are VERY patient to shell pistachios.

    I did not know white chocolate could burn. I am also a double-boiler person to the heart when it comes to chocolate. So maybe that is why I have never had problems to melt chocolate.

  13. Pam says:

    I’m with you, no twelve days of cookies here either.

  14. tracieMoo says:

    Looks like a great treat! Would love to try this out soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  15. Barbara says:

    Only 1 batch of cookies in our house! My group seems to like lemon and chocolate bars better. And rugelah. I made that…do those count as a cookie?
    I am ashamed to say I have never made biscotti. Yours look wonderful- particularly that last photo. Yowee.
    Happy New Year, Joanne!

  16. Faith says:

    I actually did not know that about white chocolate! I’ve been seeing a lot of biscotti lately, but I’ve never made it…I can see now that I need to…it looks fantastic (especially the dark choc & pistachio!) Happy Holidays, Joanne!

  17. Andreas says:

    Great biscotti. I like them for dunking in coffee but of course chocolate is great too.

    Any progress with the blowtorch yet?

  18. Mari says:

    Wow those look great! I wish I was your roommate lol but I think I would be like 300 pounds lol

  19. Toni says:

    Just as I was thinking, “I wonder how long these keep for” I got to where you said they started off stale. It was a wonderfully creepy telepathic, time changing moment with you. They look great! I’ve been pondering making biscotti but the time consumption aspect of them has kept me away. Maybe I’ll get over it and just do it.
    Maybe.

  20. girlichef says:

    YUM! Love pistachios and cranberries…and vanilla bean specked white chocolate, LOL!!! Sounds like a good marathon (of a different type)…hope your Christmas was wonderful 🙂

  21. Your biscotti look so good!!!

  22. These biscottis look fab. Would love to have them for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee.

  23. Shannon says:

    didn’t know that about white chocolate, but thanks for figuring that out for me 😉 love these biscotti!

  24. comfycook says:

    Great biscotti. Glad that was the monthly choice. One less fear of baking.

    I have months before I pick but I am having fun thinking about it now. There are so many choices and all are fun, especially if they work.

    Happy baking.

  25. nora@ffr says:

    perfect with a pot of coffee!! 😀 m sooo loving the white chocolate part!! 😀 wish ye and ye family a very happy new year 2010!! 😀

  26. chrystad72 says:

    These look soo good! Me and my husband are obsessed with pistachios at the moment and Im so gonna have to make them! Thanks for the amazing recipes!

  27. theUngourmet says:

    The flavors you chose are perfect! Pistachios are one of my favorite nuts. I’ve never made biscotti. I’m going to have to try it soon!

  28. Kim says:

    LOL- white chocolate is a royal pain to melt! I feel like I never want to try to “melt” it again 😀 I am crazy for pistachios and would love to try your biscotti!!

  29. Chef Chuck says:

    I like your display of this wonderful cookie, Biscotti!! Yum…

  30. What a yummy bunch of biscotti! I love that you dipped them too. When you dunk them the chocolate melts into your tea or coffee making it extra yummy!

  31. Michelle says:

    That’s a lotta Biscotti you got going there. I especially like Chocolate Biscotti!

  32. Kerstin says:

    I love your red and green biscotti! So festive and delicious!

  33. I love biscotti and chocolate always gets the party in my mouth started right quick. These sound awesome.

  34. Gigi says:

    Biscotti I love, I don’t think I am good enough baker to make it. I buy plenty I love a piece with my chi tea.You have some great recipes…

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