Cherry, Chocolate and Almond Baby Biscotti
These crunchy, twice baked Italian biscuits are delicious. I often make several batches at Christmas time, wrap them in cellophane bags and give them as gifts. They keep for up to three weeks in a tin.
This recipe makes about 30 pieces - ps they are fat free !!!
Ingredients
1 egg
75g caster sugar
125g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp almond extract
75g flaked almonds lightly toasted and roughly chopped
50g French morello flavour glace cherries, washed, dried and quartered
50g Dark chocolate roughly chopped or choc chips
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c.You will need a baking sheet and a piece of reusable baking parchment
Start by whisking the egg and sugar in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy and when you take the whisk from the mixture it leaves a trail. This is commonly known as the ribbon stage.
Sieve into this mix the flour and baking powder - fold in briefly then add the cherries, nuts, almond extract and chocolate.
You will have a ball of fairly sticky dough but turn this onto a floured surface and form into ball and then divide into two. Shape each half into a sausage shape about 25cm long and about 5cm wide.
Transfer to the baking sheet then pop into the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes. The bake will be lightly coloured and slightly risen and firm to the touch.
Take from the oven and leave for five minutes then I use a serrated bread knife to cut the bake into slices about 1cm thick.
Place the slices back onto the baking sheet and pop them into the oven and bake for 4 minutes, take them out, turn them over and pop back again for a further 3 minutes.
Cool on a baking sheet then store in an airtight tin for up to three weeks.