I’m kicking off the December with some awesome holiday baking! I love love love the holidays, so much so that I usually gain about 20 pounds from all the amazing food and drink that I can never say no to. Okay, maybe 20 pounds is an exaggeration, but you get my point.
It’s the holidays, imma eat whatever I want. My idea of “dieting” is: Do I want it? Will I be happy if I eat it? Then eat it. If it’s bad for me, so what, maybe I’ll eat a salad later to make up for it (if I want to) or do another 30 minutes at the gym tomorrow (again, if I want to). Life’s too short to fret about love handles.
(As I get older I find I tell myself this more often… my mom was right, that whole metabolism thing really does go downhill…)
The holidays are all about cooking, baking, eating, drinking, and decorating the Christmas tree while listening to some Ella Fitzgerald Christmas tunes, all while spending time with the people you love.
I have a list about 12 inches long with all the things I want to make this holiday season, and I’m actually a bit sad that I won’t get to them all. Ingredients are expensive, and it’s dangerous having a house full of delicious baked goods. See: my idea of dieting, above. If it’s in my house, you bet I’m going to be eating it.
These biscotti are not only completely festive (red cranberries, green pistachios, white chocolate), they’re also perfect for dunking in your warm, holiday coffee/hot chocolate or sending out to friends as a holiday gift.
Who doesn’t love getting baked goods?
I made a batch of these and they were gone in a couple of days. They’re not rock hard, as some store-bought biscotti are, and they’re good enough to eat by themselves; although I would highly advise you dunk them in a cup of tea, hot chocolate, or coffee (with some Baileys because, well, it’s Christmas!).
I’m not usually a coffee drinker, but I don’t think I could say no to that.
The dough is soft and crumbly but hard enough to keep it’s shape when dipped in liquid. It’s really a great base, and you can swap out the cranberries and pistachios for any other things you can think of.
Cranberries, pistachios and white chocolate area great combination, and they would be quite pretty wrapped in a nice bag and topped with a ribbon. Christmas on a budget.
| Dried Cranberry, Pistachio & White Chocolate Biscotti | Print |
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup pistachios
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 2 additions, mixing until just combined. Stir in pistachios and cranberries.
- Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, shape each into a 12x5-inch rectangle. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet; press to flatten slightly.
- Combine egg white with 1 tsp water and liberally brush over the tops of biscotti.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until lightly golden and just firm to the touch. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer logs to a cutting board. Using a chef's knife, cut diagonally (at about a 45° angle) into ½-inch slices. Stand each piece upright and place back on the baking sheet. Bake at 300° for another 30-35 minutes until dry and browned. Let cool completely.
- Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe dish for 2 minutes, stirring after each 30 seconds. Either dip or spread the chocolate over each biscotti. Place back on the baking sheet and refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
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