Holiday Biscotti

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Holiday Cookies

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (207)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(207)

Cook Time:
55 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
2 dozen cookies

Times:

Prep: 25 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 55 min
Total:: 1 hr 20 min

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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose 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
2/3 cup dried cranberries
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
Red and green sugar crystals, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.

Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

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 until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.

The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Holiday Biscotti
karen West Des Moines, IA 11-03-2009
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These are Heavenly!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I will make these again and again. I followed the recipe as written but I substituted chopped almonds for the pistachios and... orange zest instead of lemon. I added a tsp. of almond extract and 1/4 tsp. of orange extract. I dipped in quality white chocolate and drizzled some - then sprinkled pastel sugars on the chocolate. I bagged 3 each in glassine bags and tied with colored ribbon - beautiful and tasted like they came from a very special bakery! The one hint would be to slice them after cooling from the first baking after waiting only 5 to 10 minutes - I had no trouble with crumbling. I will be making many for gifts this holiday season! Everyone is looking forward to these!Read more
recipe Holiday Biscotti
Pam Baton Rouge, LA 10-30-2009
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OUTSTANDING!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Wonderful!! I've made these twice this week. I only bake them about 30 minutes and 10 minutes for the additional baking. ... I find if you let them cool about 15 minutes and use a very sharp knife the crumbling is minimized.Read more
recipe Holiday Biscotti
Preeta Putnam, CT 08-27-2009
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beats the biscotti from starbucks
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is the best biscotti recipe, I wouldnt change a thing from the measurments or process. I have made this a lot of times... now and is one of my favorites during holidays, beats the cookies too. Wondering if we could just reduce the calorie amount from the recipe by substituionsRead more
recipe Holiday Biscotti
Julie Santa Barbara, CA 01-07-2009
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I can't make enough of these
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I first made them for a small gathering of friends. Then I made them for my family. Then I made them for the office and get... requests for more. Everyone loves them. I found this to be an easy recipe and a great Holiday giftRead more
recipe Holiday Biscotti
KRISTIN Highlands Ranch, CO 12-24-2008
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Delicious, but didn't come out right
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

Wow, this made a tasty cookie, but not biscotti for me. I was disappointed that I couldn't get it to come out right. I try to... follow the recipe the first time I make something, which I'm pretty positive I did. But I could tell that the batter was not stiff enough, since I've made other biscotti before. Seemed like not enough flour and too much butter. I continued anyway, and it spread all over the pan, so I let it bake and then cut the edges off, and cut it into thin bars. It was not as crisp as biscotti, but it was very tasty. I still put in the treat bag I gave my kids' teachers. I live at a 5000-some odd altitude, so don't know what changes I maybe should have made. Read more
recipe Holiday Biscotti
Denise Johns Island, SC 12-19-2008
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Made me look good!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Used this at a Christmas Drop-In and one of my guests said the biscotti was excellent. She felt I must be a good cook for it... to come out. I told her it was Giada and I had never made it before!Read more