Have You Ever Try Biscotti? – Pistachio and Almond Biscotti (开心果及杏仁饼干）

INTRODUCTION

This is another type of classic biscuit that was sold in the famous chain coffee cafe such as Starbucks. It is a crispy type of biscuits and preparation is definitely not difficult at all.

I get this recipe from another old cookbook – “The Essential Baking Cookbook” published by Murdoch Books in 2000. This is a simple recipe and in fact most of the traditional recipe are simple. Both ingredients and method are rather simple too..

It is called biscotti because it is twice baked. The dough is baked until cooked, sliced into small pieces and re baked again until it become crunchy. It is usually served with some hot beverages.

As per Wikipedia:

“Biscotti (/bɪˈskɒti/; Italian pronunciation: [bisˈkɔtti]; English: twice cooked), also known as cantuccini (English: coffee bread), are twice-baked cookies (or biscuits) originating in the Italian city of Prato. The biscuits are oblong-shaped almond biscuits, made dry and crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still hot and fresh from baking in the oven.  “Biscotti” is the plural form of biscotto. The word originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning “twice-cooked/baked.” It defined oven baked goods that were baked twice, so they were very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Pliny the Elder boasted that such goods would be edible for centuries.Such non-perishable food was particularly useful during journeys and wars, and twice baked breads were a staple food of the Roman Legions.” (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscotti)

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WHAT IS REQUIRED

Recipe adapted from: Page 114 Biscotti – “The Essential Baking Cookbook” published by Murdoch Books in 2000

• 2 cups of self raising flour
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 50 grams of almond
• 50 grams of pistachios
• 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk for dough
• 1 egg for egg washing

Optional

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon of grated orange rind

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STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.

• In a big mixing bowl, put the sifted self raising flour and castor sugar. Make a well in the centre. Add 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk to the well. Used a tablespoon to stir until well combined. Add in the almonds and pistachios. Use hand to knead in a lightly floured surface for 2-3 minutes. If the dough is too stiff, sprinkle a little water on top of the dough.

• Divide the dough into two equal portions. For each portion, shape it about 25cm long x 8 cm wide (or 10 inches x 3 inches). Slightly flatten the dough and leave adequate space for the dough to expand when baked.  Beat the remaining one egg and egg wash the dough. Bake in the oven at 180 degree Celsius for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes, remove from oven and let it cool. Meanwhile reduce the oven temperature to 150 degree Celsius.

• When the biscotti have cooled slightly, use a serrated knife to cut the log into 4mm thickness. Place the cut biscotti on the baking tray with the flat side down.Bake in the oven at 150 degree Celsius for another 8 minutes or until crunchy and dry. Cool in a wire rack and store in an air tight container for up to a week of two. Best served with some breakfast beverages.

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CONCLUSION

It is not a difficult bake and I like the crunchiness of biscuits and the nuts. There is no fix and fast rule of the types of nuts used, possibly you want to consider some chocolate biscotti with macadamia nuts?  With this recipe, I believed you will not need to buy the biscotti from Starbucks any more! Ha-ha.

Hope you like this simple post a day. Cheers and have a nice day.

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