Dried Cherry, Hazelnut and Pecan Biscotti
The flavour sensations of dried cherries, lightly toasted hazelnuts and pecans and with the added zing of lemon zest, make this biscotti an all-time and perennial favourite. Visually appealing with the dried cherries looking like glistening rubies, serve them with your choice of coffee, or just eat them by themselves.
Note that while ordinary lemons will do the job, use Meyer Lemons for that special extra if you can find them.
You can also just use only hazelnuts or filberts in this recipe, substituting equal quantities for the pecans.
Ingredients
- 1000 ml (4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder
- 2 ml (½ tsp) salt
- 125 ml (½ cup) of hazelnuts cut in half, lightly toasted
- 125 ml (½ cup) pecans coarsly chopped, lightly toasted
- 250 ml (1 cup) dried cherries
- zest of 1 lemon
- 4 eggs large
- 225 ml (1⅓ cups) sugar granulated
- 125 ml (½ cup) canola oil
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F)
- Prepare large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Take a large bowl and combine flower, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, hazelnuts and pecans
- In a medium bowl and using a hand mixer, beat eggs until fluffy and lightly coloured. Now slowly add the sugar, followed by the oil, lemon juice and vanilla.
- Make a cavity in the flower mix and pour in the liquid
- Fold in the flower and mix until liquid is mostly absorbed, then add the cherries and stir until well combined
- Moisten hands and divide dough in half
- Pick up first half and on a clean surface quickly form into a log about 30 cm long
- Place log on parchment paper lined baking sheet and shape into a flattened loaf about 10 cm (4 in.) wide by 35 cm (14 in.) long, moistening hands as necessary.
- Repeat with second half of dough, keeping loafs about 5 cm (2 in.) appart
- Bake for 35 – 40 min. or until the loafs start start to show cracks and tops take on a golden colour
- Remove from stove and let cool until loafs are safe to handle
- Using a bread knife, cut loafs at an angle into slices about 15 – 20 mm (1/2 – 3/4 in) thick wiping knife with a damp cloth if it becomes sticky
- Put slices back on the baking sheet, standing them up and spacing them about 5 mm (1/4 in) apart
- Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F) and bake biscotti for an additional 30 -35 minutes until dry to touch
- Remove from stove, cool completely and enjoy. Store airtight in a dry place.
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