Biscotti. Crisp, not overly sweet, fragrant biscuits – the perfect coffee dunking weapon. Although biscuit dunking is somewhat engrained in British culture (along with weather-based conversation and saying we’re fine when we’re not), the Italians have nailed the dunking biscuit too, albeit in coffee not builder’s tea.
Biscotti are twice baked Italian biscuits: the name is derived from an old Latin word meaning “twice cooked”. With half a bag of almonds at the back of a cupboard so I chose to bake the classic cantuccini – the almond flavour variety. I added orange zest for citrus freshness and my favourite fragrant spice – cardamom. I also chose to give half of my biscotti white chocolate hats for real sweet-tooth craving moments. Despite possessing a certain Italian elegance, these biscuits are super easy to make and will last for about two weeks if stored properly in an airtight container. Who am I kidding? These will last half a week if I’m lucky!
Here is my recipe for cardamom, orange and white chocolate biscotti, I would suggest making a double batch as they make a lovely, thoughtful gift.
Cardamom, Orange & White Chocolate Biscotti
Difficulty: Easy30
servings20
minutes1
hourThe perfect make-ahead gift, these will keep for up to a month after baking and look really impressive
Ingredients
2 eggs
100 g caster sugar
80 g light brown sugar
1 orange, zested
300 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
140 g almonds, blanched & roughly chopped
100 g white chocolate
rose petals to decorate, optional
Directions
- Heat the oven to 150°C. Beat the eggs with the sugar until combined, pale and doubled in size.
- Stir in the nuts, flour and baking powder until the mixture forms a dough. You may have to use your hands at the dry end, just to bring it all together.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out two slightly flattened logs.
- Place on a baking sheet, bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until pale golden and firm.
- Once cooked, slice into 2-3cm thick pieces on the diagonal, lay flat on a baking sheet and bake again for 10 minutes, until crisp.
- Whilst the biscuit are cooling, melt the white chocolate in a Bain Marie. Once completely cooled, dip each biscotti in the melted chocolate until half covered. Sprinkle with dried rose petals and leave on a drying rack until chocolate has solidified.
Notes
- Traditionally, Tuscans serve cantucci after a meal with Vin Santo, a sweet dessert wine that perfectly complements the not-too-sweet cookie. The cookies also pair well with rich coffee or herbal tea for a delicious afternoon pick-me-up.
