Makes two logs/About 34 Biscotti
Ingredients:
- 1.5 sticks of softened butter (3/4 cup butter) I prefer Kate’s Sea Salt Butter for this.
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tea. maple syrup (I use maple syrup quite a bit as a substitute for vanilla)
- 2 ½ cups AP flour
- ¾ tea. baking powder
- 2 tea. Kosher salt
- 1 tea. ground cinnamon
- 1 tea. ground nutmeg
- 1 cup toasted salted pistachios, lightly chopped
- 1 cup dried red currants
- 1 cup toffee bits (I’ve been using the Heath brand for this but you could use any small sized toffee bits)
I make this and either freeze it or refrigerate it for several hours prior to baking. You can bake it right away, but I find the dough tends to spread out more, so you have thinner biscotti with thinner ends. If freezing wrap tightly as this does pick up freezer odors.
Method:
- Cream together butter and sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle. Add in eggs and maple syrup and mix until incorporated.
- Sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and kosher salt; stir the currants, and toffee bits into the flour mixture to coat. You can add these in afterwards but coating them tends to help distribute them better throughout the dough.
- Add the flour/nut mix into the creamed mixture and mix until fulling incorporated.
- Shape the dough into two approximately 14 inch long X 4 inch wide logs; press top down until the logs are about an inch in thickness.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour (or freeze).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. If you have frozen the dough, leave in the refrigerator overnight to fully defrost.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until edges are slightly crispy and the center of the logs is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
- When logs are cool enough to handle safely but still warm, use a serrated knife to slice the logs diagonally into 1 inch thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet. I’ve found turning them completely over so the bottom is the top helps get the sides crispy.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Cool completely, and store in an airtight container at room temperature. These freeze well when cooked too, hint for defrosting, remove from the container or bag to fully defrost as it helps remove any moisture that may remain and make the biscotti soggy.
These are excellent dipped or drizzled in chocolate with the addition of more chopped toasted pistachios or toffee bits.