Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

This recipe is from `Joyofbaking.com'

This is a very light cookie,with no butter used.It is a long dry hard twice baked cookie with a curve top and a flat bottom designed for dipping in coffee.

Biscotti is an Italian word means twice baked or cooked!

Indian version and look alike is known as `Rusk'!

Ingredients:

All purpose flour-1 and 3/4 cup or 230 gms,

Salt-1/4 tsp,

Baking pwd-1tsp,

Egg-2,

Sugar-2/3 cup or 135 gms,

Vanilla essence-1 tsp,

Shelled,unsalted Pistachio-1/2 or 60 gms-coarsely chopped-( rub off the salt and light skin on the pistachios by rubbing with a cloth),

Dry cranberry-70 gms(if cranberry is not available,you can use dry cherry)

Method:

Pre heat oven to 350 F or 180 C

Line butter paper on your baking tray.

In a bowl put  sieved flour,baking pwd and salt.Mix with a whisk.

Take your mixer bowl and beat eggs for 30 seconds.

Add sugar and beat for 3 minutes in high speed until thick pale and fluffy.

Add vanilla essence.

Beat for 10 seconds.

Add the flour mixture and beat only till combined.

Add the chopped pistachio and cranberries and mix only till combined.

Transfer the sticky dough to a well floured counter.

Since the dough is sticky,dust your hands with flour.Gather the dough and roll into a 12 inch log.

Transfer the log to the baking tray lined with butter paper.

Flatten the log into 3 and 1/2 inch width and 12 inch length.

Bake the log for 25 minutes.

When you take out the log after 25 minutes ,the top surface will be firm to touch.

Leave it to cool on wire rack  for 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the log along with the butter paper to a cutting board.Slice off the end.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 F or 165 C

Using a chef knife or serrated knife slice the log into 1/2 inch slices and place them on the baking sheet.

Place the biscotti cut side down on the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes.

Turn slices over and bake again for another 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and let it cool on wire rack.

Can be stored for several weeks in an air tight container.

Makes- 20