Cranberry Pistachio & Chocolate Ginger Biscotti
I’ve been making the Cranberry Pistachio biscotti recipe since 1992 when it first appeared in that year’s December issue of Gourmet Magazine. Over time I have refined how I make it. So here it is, with photos and my suggestions. The recipe contains no butter or oil. These are so delicious that my hairdresser offered a free touch-up for a batch of Cranberry Pistachio biscotti.
There is a bonus recipe at the bottom for the chocolate ginger biscotti from the same issue of Gourmet Magazine. The flavor profile on this is unique: cinnamon, ginger and cloves. I always make these as well.
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti - yield 36 pieces
1 1/3 Cups Dried cranberries (approx 4 ounces)
2 ½ Cups Unbleached all-purpose flour (stir the flour and spoon it into
the measuring cup and level it off. Do not pack it into the cup.) Set aside additional flour for your hands and helping turn out the dough, this is called bench flour
1 Cup Granulated sugar
½ Teaspoon Baking soda
½ Teaspoon Double acting baking powder
½ Teaspoon Fine sea salt
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 Cup Shelled natural pistachio*
Egg Wash
1 Large Egg
1 Teaspoon Water
Equipment
2 small bowls (1 ½ to 2 cup capacity)
1 mixer with paddle attachment
Wax paper
Parchment paper
½ Sheet pan or cookie sheet
Pastry brush
Long narrow spatula-recessed if you have one
Cooling rack
Serrated knife
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. You will be using your middle rack..jpg)
Line your cookie sheet or ½ sheet pan with parchment paper which will eliminate the need for buttering and flouring the pan.
In the small bowl combine the cranberries with enough hot water to cover them and let them soak for 5 minutes. Drain the cranberries well and pat them dry with paper towels. 
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment blend the flour; the sugar, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt until the mixture is combined well. (I prefer fine sea salt for all my baking but you can use table or Kosher salt) Add the 3 eggs and the vanilla extract, beating slowly until a dough is just formed.
Stir in the cranberries and pistachios.
TIP: When measuring dry ingredients like flour, I like to put down wax paper for easy clean up. In this recipe I use it as a tool to help knead and shape the dough.
Flour you hands and a large piece of wax paper. Turn the dough out onto the floured wax paper and use the wax paper to help you knead the dough slightly and shape it into a log.
Cut the dough in ½ and with the wax paper roll each ½ into a 13 inch log. Put both logs on the parchment paper lined sheet pan allowing 3 inches between them. Flatten each log to about 2 inches in width (13” X 2”). 
Mix the remaining egg with teaspoon of water for the egg wash. With your pastry brush apply the egg wash to both logs. Put the sheet pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes.
TIP: After the biscotti logs have cooled the 10 minutes, I take a recessed spatula and run it underneath the biscotti to help separate it from the parchment paper.
On a cutting board take a serrated knife (bread knife) and cut the log crosswise on the diagonal in ¾ inch slices.
Spread the slices back on the baking sheet, cut side down and bake for 7 to10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake another 7 to 10 minutes.
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Transfer to cooling rack, once cooled put in an airtight container.
* Trader Joe’s has been carrying the shelled pistachios.
Chocolate Ginger Biscotti- yields 36 pieces
2 ½ Cups Unbleached all purpose flour
1 Cup Granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking soda
½ Teaspoon Fine sea salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Ground cloves
2 Tablespoons Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons Grated peeled ‘fresh’ gingerroot
½ Teaspoon Almond extract
3 Large Eggs
1 ¼ cup Blanched whole almonds, lightly toasted
and chopped.
Equipment
Wax paper
Parchment paper
½ sheet pan or cookie sheet
Mixer with a paddle attachment
Grater for the ginger (If you have a Microplane grater, us it for this)
Small bowl – 1 to 2 cup capacity
Dough cutter or knife
Cooling rack
Recessed spatula
Serrated knife (bread knife)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the oven rack in the middle.
In your mixer bowl, blend the flour, the sugar, the baking soda, the salt, the cinnamon, the cloves and the cocoa powder until the mixture is combined well.
In a small bowl, whisk together the grated gingerroot, the almond extract and the 3 eggs. Add the mixture to the flour mixture, beating until a dough is just formed, and stir in the almonds. Don’t over beat.
TIP: Make sure you have wax paper dusted well with flour and flour your hands when turning out the dough. Use the wax paper to help you shape the roll as in the cranberry biscotti recipe above.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface (wax paper), knead it several times and divide it into equal thirds and shape them into 10 inch rolls and place it on the parchment lined sheet pan allowing 3 inches between them. Flatten the logs so they are approximate 2 ½ inches wide (10” x 2 1/2 “)
Bake the logs in the middle of a preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes and let them cool on the baking sheet on the cooling rack for 10 minutes.
TIP: Use a long narrow spatula, recessed if you have it and run it under the cooled biscotti and the parchment paper to separate them.
On a cutting board cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal into 3/4 inch slices, arrange the biscotti, cut sides down, on the baking sheet, and bake them in the 350F oven for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the biscotti to racks to cool and store them in airtight containers.
The recipes look long because I wanted to be detailed and give you a well written recipe, in actuality - the recipes are quite simple. Enjoy!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at biscotti@diningdish.otherinbox.com
Comments
I guess if you aren't sending me some of these, the recipe is the next best thing!
I could put them into some of my cups and give as gifts!
Sorry, no xmas cards or gifts. I donated to charity instead. Would make a nice adjunct to your fine pottery on Etsy
biscotti recipes
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