Holiday Biscotti

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
3/4 cup UNSALTED pistachio nuts, chopped
1/4 cup light olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten PLUS
1 egg beaten together with 1 tablespoon water for an egg wash
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
zest of 1 orange

Method

Preheat oven to 300°F. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together the oil and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and the orange zest. Gradually add the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Mix in the nuts and cranberries by hand. The dough will be sticky.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. Form 2 logs, about 2 inches wide, on the cookie sheet. Wet hands will help to shape the logs more easily. Lightly brush the egg wash onto the shaped logs.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the logs are light brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 275°F. Cut the logs on the diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on the parchment lined cookie sheet and return to the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are dry. Turn half way through drying out process.

Buon appetito!