Fruity Christmas biscotti

Fruity Christmas biscotti

The perfect make-ahead gift, these will keep for up to a month after baking and look really impressive

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Makes about 72 biscuits

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr

Freezable

Can be frozen part-baked and sliced

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Put the flour, baking powder, spice and sugar in a large bowl, then mix well. Stir in the eggs and zest until the mixture starts forming clumps, then bring the dough together with your hands - it will seem dry at first but keep kneading until no floury patches remain. Add the fruit and nuts, then work them in until evenly distributed.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece into a sausage about 30cm long. Place 2 on each tray, well spaced apart. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough has risen and spread and feels firm. It should still look pale. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack for a few mins until cool enough to handle, then turn down the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1.
  3. Using a bread knife, cut into slices about 1cm thick on the diagonal, then lay the slices flat on the baking sheets. The biscuits can be cooled and frozen flat on the sheet at this point, then bagged and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake for another 15 mins (20 mins if from frozen), turn over, then bake again for another 15 mins until dry and golden. Tip onto a wire rack to cool completely, then store in an airtight tin for up to one month, or pack into boxes or cellophane bags if giving as gifts straightaway.

PER BISCUIT

50 kcalories, protein 1g, carbohydrate 9g, fat 1 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 0g, sugar 6g, salt 0.06 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 141-160

  • Binder photo the boys mum

    28 November 2012

    the boys mum rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    easy to make, and everyone loved it didn't even make it to the tin,am going to make for a cake sale and put in Christmas bags,

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  • Binder photo Amy

    28 November 2012

    Amy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I make these very year - they are delicious! They are rock hard, but great dipped in tea. Fun to make and look/taste great!

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  • Binder photo MsCupCake

    29 November 2012

    MsCupCake rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Wow! Dead easy to make and lovely and crunchy, just how biscotti should be. Simple to make changes too. Can't quite see why you make the dough and then add the fruit/nuts; I added it all together and it seemed easier to distribute evenly........... Definitely will be making again.

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  • Binder photo BronB

    02 December 2012

    BronB rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made these in readiness for Christmas gifts. I used pale caster sugar as that's all we had, and glace cherries that I had left over from a different recipe. The end result is still superb! Very easy to make and very tasty (I obviously didn't know what else to do with the ends of each roll, once I'd sliced them). Highly recommended!

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  • Binder photo Pam

    07 December 2012

    Pam rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oh my goodness! I have just made a batch of these to give as presents to friends, family and the children's teachers. They are splendid. Taste beautiful and look really impressive! I had no mixed spice, but simple added a teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon instead. Also had some dried cranberries left over from another recipe, so used them instead of the cherries. GORGEOUS!

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  • Binder photo Georgie

    11 December 2012

    Georgie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I just made a batch of these to give as presents and having tried one, it is tempting to keep them! As suggested I substituted cranberries for cherries. I think these will become a Christmas favourite.

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  • Binder photo Gabi

    14 December 2012

    Gabi rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    they're just beautiful, i made the 'sausages' a bit too thick and biscuits came out quite long but still lovely.

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  • Binder photo Sarah1985

    16 December 2012

    Sarah1985 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Brilliant!! Just made these!! Smell amazing, so easy to make, I used cranberries instead of cherries too and they are just so delicious! Can't wait to give them as presents in hampers for christmas! x

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  • Binder photo Choccychic

    20 December 2012

    Choccychic rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Gerardine

    21 December 2012

    Gerardine commented on this recipe

    Excellent biscotti. I added fresh dates. I hae made a second batch to give as Christmas pressies!

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  • Binder photo SonV

    22 December 2012

    SonV rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very easy recipe, just used sultanas instead of raisins. I found the 15 mins each side was fine in my electric and my gas oven. Made some for gifts for Christmas and gave some to my family. Looks like I need to make another batch as they disappeared in a day!

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  • Binder photo Betty Bakewell

    24 December 2012

    Betty Bakewell rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Works perfectly! I used cranberries instead of cherries. Made this to put in Christmas hampers. Really pleased with the results.

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  • Binder photo hrgoddess

    25 December 2012

    hrgoddess commented on this recipe

    I find the dried fruit and nuts amounts are too much so cut the amount called for in half as well reducing the sugar somewhat. I add the fruit and nuts after putting in the eggs, along with 2 tbsp of melted butter. Adding the butter makes them crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside (no broken teeth!). I've made them this way 3 or 4 times now and they are a huge hit.

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  • Binder photo Foodbarn

    28 December 2012

    Foodbarn rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great Christmas gift, very easy to make. I used dried cranberries and extra almonds as I had no pistachios. Look gorgeous in crystal wrap and ribbons.

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  • Binder photo oddspod

    28 December 2012

    oddspod rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really easy to make, and the result is amazing. I used cranberries instead of cherries (as I can't find dried cherries, and cranberries are more festive). I've also tried it with chopped up dates, which worked but wasn't as colourful.

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  • Binder photo MulesMarinair

    06 January 2013

    MulesMarinair rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo **Grace**

    09 January 2013

    **Grace** rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made these for Christmas this year and they went down a storm, people picked them to eat over all other chocolate and treats in my house. Used cranberries rather than cherries (more festive), they very very easy to make and looked very professional.

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  • Binder photo Jill

    10 January 2013

    Jill rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    mixture was dry at first but then went wet and sticky - persevered and biscotti came out great. Impressed my friends and family!

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  • Binder photo recipes at random

    27 January 2013

    recipes at random commented on this recipe

    Try biscotti with pistachio, rosewater and clementine zest... beautiful flavours for biscotti. The recipe is here http://recipesatrandom.com/2013/01/26/pistachio-rosewater-biscotti/.

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  • Binder photo carrotcustard

    30 January 2013

    carrotcustard rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Incredible tasting and a really forgiving recipe. Forgot to add the nuts and fruit filling before baking, realised after about 5 mins in the oven, quickly scraped the warm dough into a bowl with the fillers and mixed, rolled again and back in the oven within 5 mins, still came out perfect.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Makes about 72 biscuits

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr

Freezable

Can be frozen part-baked and sliced

Ingredients

  • 350g plain flour , plus extra for rolling
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 250g golden caster sugar
  • 3 eggs , beaten
  • coarsely grated zest 1 orange
  • 85g raisins
  • 85g dried cherries
  • 50g blanched almonds
  • 50g shelled pistachios
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PER BISCUIT

50 kcalories, protein 1g, carbohydrate 9g, fat 1 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 0g, sugar 6g, salt 0.06 g

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