Chocolate-Dipped Cranberry & Pistachio Biscotti

Posted by Olivia on Thu, December 09, 2010

The biscotti is the quintessential understatement of baked goods. Literally “double baked” in Italian, these European biscuits are minimally sweet and always crunchy, and they rely on various fruits and nuts to give them their various characteristic flavors.

Perfect for the holidays, cranberry and pistachio remains a classic combination—it’s sweet-tart and nutty, delivering festive colors of red and green. Dipped into a chocolate glaze, the biscotti becomes a delightful dessert. The best part? These are absolutely gift-able—make a double batch and save half for stocking stuffers.

Ingredients

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 3 tablespoons The Olive Press Olio Nuovo

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 ¼  cup all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup chopped dried cranberries

• ½ cup chopped pistachios

• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to egg mixture; beat until just mixed. Stir in cranberries and pistachios.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 10 times, until dough holds. Divide dough in half; form two flat logs about 9-inches long and 3-inches wide each.
4. Bake 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on baking sheet; reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Cut logs on the diagonal into ½-inch thick slices. Return to baking sheet; bake an additional 10 minutes, turning once. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in a microwave and cook until melted, about 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds. When melted, whisk until smooth, dip biscotti tips into chocolate, and place on wax paper to fully dry.

Makes about 20 biscotti.