Biscotti are such good-humoured little biscuits. This recipe makes loads, you can play around with the different fruit, nuts and spices, and they last for weeks in an airtight box or jar. I particularly love the dried apricot, pistachio and cardamom combo here and, of course, they can also be dipped in melted chocolate.
Ingredients
- 3½ oz (100 g) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3½ oz (100 g) caster sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cardamom seeds
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 oz (50 g) shelled, roasted and salted pistachios
- 2 oz (50 g) dried apricots, sliced into 6 pieces
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.
- Sift together the flour, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in the ground cardamom, then mix in the beaten egg to form a soft dough. Next, mix in the pistachios and apricots.
- Flour your hands, then turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a sausage about 30 cm (12 in) long and 3 cm (1¼in) wide. Place on a baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes, then remove and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
- Cut into slices about 5 mm (¼ in) thick, then lay flat on the tray and bake for a further 10 minutes. Turn all the biscotti over on the tray, then return to the oven and continue to bake for 10 minutes more. They should be a light golden colour on both cut sides.
- Cool on a wire rack, then transfer to an airtight container where they will keep for up to three weeks.