Almond Cranberry Biscotti with Lemon Olive Oil

Originating in Italy, biscotti derives from the Latin word biscoctus which means “twice-baked”. These cookies are made crunchy by baking the dough once, slicing it into pieces and finishing it up in the oven again to dry and crisp up. Done right, these unleavened biscuits are nicely crunchy and not rock hard. There’s no butter in this recipe; after all, Italians rely on good quality olive oil! Here we usually serve this with coffee, tea or latte which all make an excellent “dunk” for the crunchy cookie. Experiment with this recipe using our Persian Lime Olive Oil or Blood Orange Olive Oil as well as different dried fruits, nuts and even chocolate. If you discover another winning combination, let us know!

INGREDIENTS

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup Olive This! Lemon Olive Oil,  or Persian Lime Olive Oil, or Blood Orange Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS

Set an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the 2½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a wire whisk and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ cup of olive oil. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula when necessary.

Run the stand mixer on the lowest setting and add the dry ingredients (previously set aside). Mix just until combined and scrape down sides of bowl. Add the 1 cup each of almond slivers and dried cranberries.  Mix again just until folded in. You don’t want to over mix this batter.

Split the dough in half and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Set them about 2-4 inches apart from each other.

Use your hands to press dough to about ¾ inch high and 12 inches long. Damp hands will help to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers.

Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until dough rises slightly and turns a pale golden. When done, set the baking pan on a wire rack and let cool for about 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Transfer the baked loaves to a cutting board and discard parchment paper. Using a knife with a serrated blade, cut on the bias (diagonally) into ½- to ¾-inch thick slices.

Return the biscotti pieces, cut side down, to the baking pan now lined with a new sheet of parchment paper. Bake the biscotti for another 10-12 minutes until dry and slightly crisp.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. These biscuits can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Alternatively you can also wrap them in foil, place them in a zipper-locking bag and freeze for up to a month.

MAKES ABOUT 24 PIECES

Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below.