Cranberry & Blueberry Biscotti

I made these recently to send home to my grandmother for her Birthday. Biscotti are the ideal biscuits to send through the post as they are fairly sturdy meaning the receiver doesn’t open the parcel to reveal a heap of crumbs. The other bonus to biscotti is that there are numerous variations meaning you can always adapt it to the recipients taste.

The biscotti were very easy to make. The most time consuming thing is the double baking. For this variation, I decided to use dried cranberries and blueberries which added a lovely scattering of colour against the biscotti’s pale background. They also added a nice chew and the vanilla flavour complemented them well too. They turned out crisp, but not teeth-breakingly brittle. They are great to munch on as they are or dipped into a hot drink, creamy dessert or sweet desert wine.

Cranberry & Blueberry Biscotti
Ingredients
60g butter
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
40g dried cranberries
40g dried blueberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper and set to one side.
Place the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well until well incorporated.
Stir in the cranberries, blueberries and vanilla.
Scatter the flour and baking powder over the surface of the mixture and beat it in until no flour streaks remain.
Dust the top of a work surface well with flour and turn the dough out. (It will probably be quite soft and sticky).
Dust you hands with flour and divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a log-like shape and place onto the baking tray.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until slightly puffed up and golden brown on top. Reduce the oven temperature to 150C.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into 1cm slices. (If sliced at a slight angle you get more decoratively shaped biscotti)
Lay cut side down back on the baking tray, you will probably have to do one log at a time.
Return to the oven for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip the biscotti over so that the other cut side is no facing upwards. Place back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
Once, lightly browned and crisp, transfer to a wire wrack to cool and bake the second batch.
Once completely cooled they will keep well if stored in an airtight container.

Makes around 31 biscotti.