Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

'Tis the season and all is festive in the kitchen!
It took me some time to get in the festive spirit this year, which is odd since I absolutely love the Holidays! The colours, the smells, the music and the all around sparkling spirit in the air.

I finally climbed onto the Christmas band wagon and got my ar*e in the kitchen. My place of comfort.
I'm taking on this season now, like a bulldozer!

These are ideal Christmas biscotti… the red berries, the green nuts and the white chocolate... hellooo… perfect much?
These look so great wrapped up and given as Christmas goody gifts.
So here we go, my first baked good of the season… Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti - dipped in white chocolate. Heavenly!


Recipe from Canadian Living:

1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pistachios (chopped if you want, but not necessary)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 egg white
10 oz (280g) white chocolate, melted

Instructions:
(I used a kitchen aid stand mixer for this but you don't require one)
- Set oven to 325 F
- In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla
- In another bowl blend flour, salt and baking powder
- Add the half the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until nearly combined, then add the remaining flour mixture and stir all together until completely combined
- Now add pistachios and cranberries and mix into the dough well
- Divide dough into two. On a lightly floured surface shape each into a 12 inch long rectangle
- Place on a lined baking sheet, approximately 5cm apart
- Combine egg white with 1 tsp water, and brush over top of biscotti rectangles
- Bake for about 30min, until lightly golden and just firm to the touch. Then allow to cool on a rack for about 10 minutes
- Turn oven down to 300 F
- Move the rectangle biscotti to a cutting board and using a chef's knife cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick slices
- Stand each stick upright (so that a cut edge faces upwards) back on the baking sheet
- Bake in 300 F oven for another 30-35 minutes, or until nicely golden and almost dry
- Transfer biscotti sticks to a wire rack to cool completely
- Dip the end of each biscotti into the melted white chocolate and place on waxed or parchment paper lined baking sheet; refrigerate until chocolate is set. This should take only 20 minutes or so
- Wrap up as desired!