Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti – crunchy and amazing biscotti loaded with cranberry and pistachio. Easy recipe that you can make at home this holiday season.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg (about 70g), at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (70 g) fine sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 60 g (1/2 cup) pistachios
• 1/4 cup (50 g) dried cranberries
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, more or less (optional)
• 1 medium grated orange zest

Instructions

1. Rehydrate cranberries – put in a plastic bag, pour water inside and immediately pour it out retaining some. Leave at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. Before using, remove cranberries from the bag and pat dry with kitchen towel. (I placed dry cranberries together with ¼ cup of water in a mug, microwaved for 30 seconds, drained and pat dry, set aside)
2. Rinse pistachios lightly. Pat dry with kitchen towel. (This step is optional) Roast pistachios in a preheated oven for 2-3 minutes at 160°C (320°F). Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder and sieve. Add in orange zest and mix well. Use finger tips to break the lumps if any.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg lightly with a hand whisk or electrical mixer. Then add in sugar and salt. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and pale. Add in vanilla extract (if used) and mix.
5. Add in flour and baking powder. Use a plastic scraper to mix all the ingredients until well combined. You can use technique such as cut, press and scrape to mix.
6. Then add in the pistachios and cranberries. Mix until well combined and form a dough. At this stage, the dough is quite sticky. So, dust your hands and counter top with more flours before proceeding to the next step.
7. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions, roll into log shapes (20cm length x 5cm width x 2cm thickness) and then flatten slightly.
8. Place the logs on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Transfer the tray to oven, place at the lower rack and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 30 minutes or until well risen and firm.
9. If your logs show uneven color, rotate them at 180 degree towards the last 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
10. When the logs are cooled, use serrated knife to cut it diagonally into thin slices (0.8cm thickness or lesser). Arrange slices on the lined baking tray, transfer to oven, place at the lowest rack and bake for a further 150°C (302°F) for 12 minutes (6 minutes for each side) or until slightly golden brown.
11. Cool on rack and keep in an air-tight container for several weeks.

Notes

1. Dried cranberries can substituted with dried cherries. 2. You can substitute pistachios with other nuts (such almonds) or dried cranberries. 3. After keeping the biscotti for some time, they may turn soft. To crisp them, bake in a preheated oven at 150°c for 5-10 minutes.

Cari has been using this recipe for a few years now 

https://rasamalaysia.com/cranberry-pistachio-biscotti/

Mocha and Orange Sablé Icebox Cookies

 http://portandfin.com/mocha-orange-sable-icebox-cookies/

 Recipe type: Dessert

Author: Finn

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 40 mins

The dough for these Christmas cookies can be made ahead of time and frozen, giving you more time to rest and relax over the holiday season!

Ingredients

• Chocolate Espresso Dough:
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ Tbsp finely ground espresso beans
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• .
• Orange Sablé Dough:
• 1¼ cup whole blanched almonds
• 1 cup icing sugar
• ¾ cup butter, room temperature
• 3 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (~3 oranges)
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and ground espresso. In a second bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy- about 3-4 minutes. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts and mix. Wrap in plastic and store in fridge.
2. For the orange sablé dough, place almonds and sugar in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal or sand (hey! Sablé! That's the name of the cookie)  and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and zest together until light and fluffy- roughly 2-3 minutes. Add the almond mixture and mix until just combined. Add egg and lemon juice and mix to combine. Add flour and mix until just combined. Add cranberries and- you guessed it- mix until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate.
3. Bring the orange sablé dough to room temperature. Line an 8" inch square pan with plastic wrap. Press the orange dough into the bottom of the lined pan, smoothing the top as flat as possible. Cover with plastic and return the dough to the fridge for another hour.
4. Bring chocolate dough to room temperature. Remove plastic wrap from the top of your orange dough and press the chocolate layer overtop, smoothing the top as flat as possible and pressing it into the pan.
5. Cover the now layered doughs with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.
6. Remove the dough block from the pan-mould and remove the plastic wrap from the top and bottom. Cut dough into 2"x8" bricks. At this point you can wrap the 'bricks' up and freeze what you don't want to use right away or you can start this next step right away.
7. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice each brick log into ¼" inch thick slices and lay the slices on the parchment, at least ½" inch apart. Bake until firm, roughly 10-12 minutes. Cook on a wire rack with the dough-divide (between the chocolate and orange) laying perpendicular to the wires (I learned this one the hard way, when they're still warm and soft they can break right down the seam!)

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

made by Connie 2017                 REFRIGERATE

Prep time: 2 hours 10 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

A delightfully easy cookie recipe that yields sensational results! I'm sharing three secrets to the perfect shortbread cookies that no one can resist! Make sure to add these easy Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies to your holiday baking list this season!

Author: Trish - Mom On Timeout  https://www.momontimeout.com/cranberry-orange-shortbread-cookies-recipe/

Serves: 2½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

·         ½ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)

·         ¾ cups sugar, divided

·         2½ cups all purpose flour - spooned and leveled, not scooped

·         1 cup butter, cubed (and cold)

·         1 tsp almond extract

·         zest of 1 orange

·         1 to 2 tbsp of fresh orange juice (optional)

·         additional sugar to coat cookies before baking if desired

Instructions

1.   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2.   Combine cranberries and ¼ cup of sugar in a food processor and process just until the cranberries are broken down into smaller pieces. Set aside.

3.   Combine flour and remaining sugar in a large bowl.

4.   Use a pastry cutter to cut in butter. You want very fine crumbs.

5.   Stir in extract, cranberries and sugar mixture, orange zest and orange juice (optional).

6.   Use your hands to knead the dough until it comes together and forms a ball. Work the dough until it comes together.

7.   Shape dough into a log about two inches in a diameter and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours or up to 72 hours.

8.   Preheat oven to 325F.

9.   Cut slices of cookie dough about ¼ inch thick.

10.  Place about a half a cup of sugar in a bowl and coat the cookie slices with sugar.

11.  Place cookies on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or just until cookies are set. Do not over bake. I pull mine at 12 minutes.

12.  Let cookies cool for several minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack. Let cool completely.

13.  Store in airtight container for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Frosted Orange Carrot Cookies

From: http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/frosted-orange-carrot-cookies/

350^oF for 12-15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. grated carrots
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¾ c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt

Frosting:

• ½ c. juice from orange
• 1 Tbsp. orange zest
• 2 c. powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugar together.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.

4. Parchment paper line cookie sheets

5. Drop cookies on cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Oven times may vary.

7. Mix together frosting ingredients while cookies are baking.

8. Remove cookies and let cool on a wire rack.

9. Frost the cookies with frosting while still warm.

Made by Heather