Recipe Coffee Biscotti with Pistachio, Fennel Seed and Cherry

[Morning Glory]

Crisp and crunchy and made for dunking, this Italian ‘twice-cooked’ biscuit is traditionally served with Italian dessert wine Vino Santo, rather than coffee. I understand there is an optimum recommended duration for 'biscotti dunking' into Vino Santo!

Its an unusual biscuit because traditionally it contains no fat (although I have seen recipes which include olive oil or butter). The lack of fat creates the crunch and its meant to be a 'hard’ biscuit. Its versatile because you can vary the ingredients added to the basic dough. Instant coffee powder works much better than ‘real’ coffee here. The fennel adds a twist of aniseed which I think works well with coffee.

Biscotti keep well in an airtight tin.

Ingredients (makes 18-20 biscotti)
150g self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp instant coffee powder (if you have granules, grind to a powder using a pestle and mortar)
25 g flaked almonds
25g pistachio nut, roughly chopped
50g preserved cherries, roughy chopped
1 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Place all the ingredients except the egg in a bowl, mixing well. Gradually add the beaten egg and mix to form a soft dough.
3. Roll the dough into a flattened log approximately 25cm x 7cm x 2.5 cm. Place on the lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 mins. Lower oven temperature to 150C. Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 1cm thick slices. Lay the slices on the baking tray.
5. Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 mins or until crisp. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

These are so pretty. I've never made a biscotti. which suddenly feels like a glaring gap in my repertoire. I will have to change that, and soon (not before I submit a recipe of my own, of course, but eventually after that).

 

[Morning Glory]

These are so pretty. I've never made a biscotti. which suddenly feels like a glaring gap in my repertoire. I will have to change that, and soon (not before I submit a recipe of my own, of course, but eventually after that).

I never made them before either - much easier than I thought.

 

[ElizabethB]

@morning glory
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. The Three Sisters love to entertain. We are always looking for new ideas for party food .

 

[medtran49]

Are "preserved" cherries dried or something else?

BTW, this is a lovely looking recipe.

 

[Morning Glory]

Are "preserved" cherries dried or something else?

BTW, this is a lovely looking recipe.

Sold as 'cocktail' cherries here - but glace cherries could be subbed. These are the ones I used - they are preserved in syrup. The liquid is delicious!



These are glacé cherries - I think you get them in US too - candied in sugar syrup but not in liquid syrup.

 

[medtran49]

We call them maraschino cherries over here, like is on the label. While they are used in sweet drinks, I think more are used for sundaes and fancied up milk shakes and other desserts. Not sure what you mean by sugar syrup versus liquid syrup. They come in a just slightly viscous liquid syrup that can be drunk straight up if you have a huge sweet tooth or used in other things. We make chocolate covered cherries out of them too.

Glace or candied (as we call them) cherries are sold around the holidays for use in fruitcakes and other things. Very little to no liquid in them.

 

[Morning Glory]

We call them maraschino cherries over here, like is on the label. While they are used in sweet drinks, I think more are used for sundaes and fancied up milk shakes and other desserts. Not sure what you mean by sugar syrup versus liquid syrup. They come in a just slightly viscous liquid syrup that can be drunk straight up if you have a huge sweet tooth or used in other things. We make chocolate covered cherries out of them too.

I suppose sugar syrup is same as liquid syrup - the only difference is the glacé cherries are not in a syrup but a fruit candied in sugar syrup but packaged minus the syrup. So I meant they were candied in liquid syrup. I should have said that.

Yes - the liquid is the same by the sound of it. Its good to add some of that liquid to cakes (cut down on sugar in the recipe). I rather like using the maraschino cherries in baking because they stay lovely and moist and have that distinct maraschino flavour.