Mixed Nut Biscotti

While in Italy, I was amazed by the complex flavours of the food. Biscotti are one of my favourite Italian desserts. These biscotti contain almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios but these nuts can be swapped out for the same quantity of any other nuts or dried fruits like cranberries.

These make wonderful gifts if put in a small jar and are also wonderful served with a warm cup of coffee or other hot beverage.

Biscotti were created to be eaten by the Roman legion while Rome expanded its empire. They were originally unleavened, finger-shaped biscuits created to be long-lasting, nourishing and durable. After the fall of the Roman empire in 455 A.D, poverty meant that culinary development was stumped.

During the Renaissance Period, biscotti was reintroduced to the Italian culinary scene in Tuscany, created to be served with the Tuscan sweet wine. Nuts were added and they developed into modern-day biscotti. (BoyarDave)

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Mixed Nut Biscotti Recipe

Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Yield: Approximately 34 biscotti or 17 Servings

Ingredients:

• 85 grams butter, softened

• 75 grams caster sugar

• 75 grams brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons orange zest

• 255 grams flour, plus extra for shaping

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• 45 grams shelled pistachios

• 55 grams whole almonds

• 55 grams whole hazelnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.

2. Place your almonds and hazelnuts on a tray and bake them for 10 minutes.Add the pistachios and place the nuts back in the oven for 5 minutes.

3. Roughly chop the nuts, then place them into a coarse sieve or colander and shake them to get rid of any skin or bits of shell.

4. Grease and line two large baking trays with non-stick paper.

5. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together. Beat until the mixture is pale and creamy.

6. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the orange zest and vanilla extract.

7. Sift in the flour, spices and baking powder then mix until combined before adding the nuts.

8. Place the mixture onto one of the prepared trays and use your hands and some extra flour to shape the mixture into two logs, about 22 cm long and 7 cm wide.

9. Bake the logs in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then let cool completely.

10. Using a serrated knife, diagonally cut the logs into 1-1.5cm thick biscotti and place them on the two trays.

11. Bake the biscotti for 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.

12. Let cool on a wire rack before serving, these can be kept in a sealed container for up to a month.

Photo Guides:

Tips & Tricks:

• These can be made gluten-free by using almond flour instead of plain flour.

• You can replace the nuts for the same quantity of any other nuts, dried fruits or chocolate chips.

• You can change the flavour by replacing the cinnamon and nutmeg for any other spice like ginger or saffron and the orange zest for lemon or lime zest.

• For an extra layer of decadence, you can dip these in melted chocolate.

• As a gift or party favour, these can be placed in a jar or plastic goodie bag and then tied with a bow.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:

Works Cited:

BoyarDave. "History Of Biscotti". Everything Biscotti, 2014, https://www.everything-biscotti.com/History-of-Biscotti.html. Accessed 8 June 2020.