Cranberry Pecan Biscotti

By maredan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup(s) unsalted butter, cold
• 3/4 cup(s) sugar
• 3/4 cup(s) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 3 cup(s) all-purpose flour, plus additional for flouring
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cardamom
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon(s) freshly grated orange zest, about 1 medium orange
• 1 cup(s) dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 cup(s) pecans, coarsely chopped

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Place the sugars and butter in a large bowl and blend until light. Add the eggs and vanilla and blend until thoroughly combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, and orange zest and stir to combine. Add the cranberries and pecans and stir.
Transfer to a floured work surface and knead until the dough just comes together. If necessary, add more flour to the work surface. Divide the dough into 2 halves and shape each into a 12-inch loaf.
Place 1 loaf on the prepared baking sheet and bake until it starts to crack and is a uniform light brown, about 35 minutes. Set aside to cool. Repeat with the remaining loaf.
Lower the temperature to 300 degrees.
Place the loaves on a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut each on the diagonal, into 20 to 24 slices, 1/2-inch thick, or, for a more delicate biscotti, 1/4-inch thick. Place on the baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 10 to 12 minutes. Turn over and bake until dry and crisp, about 5 minutes.
When cooled, store in an airtight container up to 10 to 12 days.

Tips & Techniques

Although these are incredibly easy and convenient to make (you can do the first baking several days ahead of time), they are equally easy to ruin. The line between crunchy and hard is a fine one, and the truth is that it will take practice and an understanding of your own oven to discover what that line is for you. When in doubt, slightly underbake these cookies, or if you've overbaked them and rendered them hard as a rock, dunk them in coffee or crumble them over ice cream. Dried apricots, currants, or figs work equally well in this recipe.