Best 6 Festive Dried Fruit Biscotti Recipes

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
• The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

FRUITCAKE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Toss the cranberries, figs, orange peel, red and green cherries and 3/4 cup bourbon in a bowl. Cover and let soak 1 hour.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture until combined, then beat in the walnuts and dried fruit mixture (the dough will be sticky).
• Butter your hands and divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 4-by-12-inch log on a separate baking sheet. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the logs are golden around the edges, 35 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes on the baking sheets. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking sheets. Bake, switching the pans and flipping the biscotti halfway through, until browned and crisp, about 1 hour. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Whisk the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons bourbon in a bowl; drizzle on the biscotti. Let set 15 minutes.

CRANBERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until well-blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into egg mixture. Stir in ground almonds and cranberries (mixture will be stiff)., Divide dough in half. Using lightly floured hands, shape each portion into a 9x3-in. rectangle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes., Cool on pans on wire racks until firm. Reduce oven setting to 325°. Transfer baked rectangles to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 1/2-in. slices. Place on baking sheets, cut side down., Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes per side. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

PISTACHIO, RASPBERRY, AND WHITE CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, oil, and almond extract in large bowl until well blended. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in pistachios, dried berries, and 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls in two 12-inch-long strips on prepared baking sheet, spacing strips 3 inches apart. Using wet fingertips, shape each strip into 3-inch-wide log, pressing evenly (logs may look slightly lumpy).
• Bake logs until lightly browned and almost firm to touch, about 30 minutes. Cool logs on sheet 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Carefully transfer logs to cutting board. Line same baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each log crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stand biscotti upright, spacing about 1/4 inch apart, in 3 rows on prepared baking sheet. Bake until pale golden (biscotti may be soft but will firm as they cool), about 20 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheet.
• Line another large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 8 ounces chopped white chocolate in medium glass bowl. Place 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate in another medium glass bowl, if desired. Microwave separately on medium in 20-second intervals just until chocolate is soft to touch, about 40 seconds total (do not overheat or chocolate will burn or seize). Stir chocolate until smooth.
• Dip 1 end or 1 side of each biscotti in chocolate; place on baking sheet. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. (Can be made ahead. Arrange in single layer in airtight container and chill up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

FESTIVE DRIED FRUIT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat margarine until soft.
• Beat in sugar and eggs.
• Add melted white chocolate,juice and extract until combined.
• With your hand fold in remaining ingredients. The dough will be sticky.
• Form dough into logs almost as long as the cookie sheet and place 3 inches apart.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Remove biscotti from oven and let cool 5 minutes before slicing diagonally.
• Return to oven and toast on each side for 5-10 minutes.
• Store in air-tight containers.

FRUITY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Put the flour, baking powder, spice and sugar in a large bowl, then mix well. Stir in the eggs and zest until the mixture starts forming clumps, then bring the dough together with your hands - it will seem dry at first but keep kneading until no floury patches remain. Add the fruit and nuts, then work them in until evenly distributed.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece into a sausage about 30cm long. Place 2 on each tray, well spaced apart. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough has risen and spread and feels firm. It should still look pale. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack for a few mins until cool enough to handle, then turn down the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1.
• Using a bread knife, cut into slices about 1cm thick on the diagonal, then lay the slices flat on the baking sheets. The biscuits can be cooled and frozen flat on the sheet at this point, then bagged and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake for another 15 mins (20 mins if from frozen), turn over, then bake again for another 15 mins until dry and golden. Tip onto a wire rack to cool completely, then store in an airtight tin for up to one month, or pack into boxes or cellophane bags if giving as gifts straightaway.