Holiday Biscotti

What a fun month is December.  All the shopping fun and cooking and gathering with families over dinner, desserts, and all the wonderful holiday snacks.  Over the weekend, I made Challah with Raisin, Croissants, and Holiday Biscotti.  This time, I managed to obtain unsalted Pistachio at local farm market that it gave me a chance to make this tasty Holiday Biscotti again.
It contains chopped roasted (raw unsalted) pistachio, dry apricots, raisins.  Some are dipped in semi-sweet chocolate and roasted almond slices.

 

 

Melekimaka!

Ingredients

• 2 cups AP Flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs 
• 3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped--shell it yourself
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries and cherries; drained and dried overnight Maraschino cherries, chopped
• 12 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• Almond slivers   and sprinkles that you might like

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Line a half sheet baking pan (18x13") with silipad or parchment paper.   Shift the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.   Beat sugar butter and lemon zest, salt, in mixer with paddle attachment until the butter is fluffy and pale in color;  Add 1 egg at a time and after well mixing in the first ones.  Stop and mix in pistachios and other goodies of your choice.  Use the spatula to incorporate them well.
 
Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden - *depending on your oven-- about 40 minutes.  Cool for 30 minutes.
                   ** You are not done, yet.
Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
 
Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bain marie) until the chocolate melts. (Or microwave it in a plastic or stainless bowl for 1 minute at a time - when you see the sign of "softness", take out and stir it crazy.  It is ready for use.)
Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the cooling rack set over a parchment or wax paper to catch the excess chocolate for the chocolate to set  (you can reuse the chocolate after it becomes solid again). Roll in almond sliver before the chocolate solidifies or sprinkle with sprinkles or sugar crystals. Let it set until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.

Wrap them up individually or in a holiday-ish container and share with friends and family.