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 41-60

  • Binder photo Nikkie

    11 November 2009

    Nikkie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've just finished making my first batch of these delicious biscotti and I will definately be making them again. They taste wonderful. I too changed the cherries for cranberries and I did find the dough very sticky and difficult to handle before rolling it out but I just added some more flour and hoped it would work. Whilst it was cooking I worried the dough wasn't rising enough but once the loaves had been sliced they looked exactly as biscotti should. I'm very pleased and the house smells divine 10/10

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  • Binder photo Ellen White

    02 December 2009

    Ellen White rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I made these at the weekend and they went down very well with a cup of coffee, I even gave some as gifts to friends. I added some chopped mixed peel and substituted the raisins for sultanas as I had them in the cupboard. Deliciuos result although I did find the dough a little difficult to work at first. It needed a good knead and squeeze to get it to hold together.

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  • Binder photo Simon Hutt

    07 December 2009

    Simon Hutt rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is an excellent biscotti, although you need to be persistent to create a dough. It does form though without the need for extra liquids, and the end results are excellent.

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  • Binder photo Simon Hutt

    07 December 2009

    Simon Hutt commented on this recipe

    If anyone outside the UK is still wondering: Mixed spice - coriander, cinnamon, cassia, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves, cardamon "A classic English sweet spice blend for baking. Beautifully fragrant but with an essential depth and 'body' from the coriander. Use for a fruit cake, biscuits, crumble, fruit pies or even poached fruit." (courtesy of thespicery.com)

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  • Binder photo ERobs

    09 December 2009

    ERobs commented on this recipe

    i've just made a batch for christmas presents - I'd forgotten to buy mixed spice so I used a homemade mix of star anise, black pepper, ginger, clove (teeny bits of each), cinnamon and nutmeg. worked a treat. Hopefully these will go down a storm (certainly the 'tester' piece was delicious with my coffee!)

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  • Binder photo Sophie

    09 December 2009

    Sophie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Having had various biscuit-making disasters, these turned out perfectly. I had to add more flour as the dough was too sticky - probably from using extra large eggs.

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  • Binder photo Tims Recipie

    11 December 2009

    Tims Recipie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I don't put in the spice, not very Christmassy I know, but I prefer them that way, also if they are really jaw breakingly tough as someone commented on here, dip them in wine! like dunking a biscuit. Now we're talking! That's how the Italians (and I) eat em!

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  • Binder photo my_dunh

    11 December 2009

    my_dunh rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I'm not usually a fan of dried fruit in biscuits, was made these as little Chrismas gifts. Simple (if not rather sticky mixture to handle) recipe with delicious results. I love that I can stock them up in my freezer for last minute guests =)

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  • Binder photo welshmam

    11 December 2009

    welshmam rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This recipe turns out beautifully again and again. My friends and family are demanding more this Christmas. You can play around with ingredients and quantities quite happily and it still tastes delicious. I'd like some (cheap) ideas for packaging the biscotti as gifts-at the moment I wrap in cellophane and add ribbon and homemade tags-anyone? A brilliant recipe, cheers Good Food!

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  • Binder photo Ellen

    13 December 2009

    Ellen commented on this recipe

    Amazing. I made a batch to freeze and bake for Christmas but my testers (toddler, husband and baby) got through loads so I needed to make more! They taste and smell gorgeous and have just the right level of spice, fruit and nuts to be perfect!

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  • Binder photo Ellen

    13 December 2009

    Ellen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    (forgot to rate the recipe!)

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  • Binder photo Jo Adams

    14 December 2009

    Jo Adams commented on this recipe

    These are absolutely lovely! I too used dried cranberries and loads of nuts - really easy to follow and very satisfying to make. Have made loads of batches since and will be giving as presents too - they're seriously addicitive!

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  • Binder photo jinjerine

    16 December 2009

    jinjerine rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    used cranberries, apricots, almonds and macadema nuts. Very nice but made a very sticky mess rather than a dough, had to add loads of extra flour to gain a sausage rollin consistency. once cooled become quite hard so need to be dipped in coffee to enjoy. I agree with other comments that although lovely and did make nice gifts, dont think they had the wow factor.

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  • Binder photo ChicaAndaluza

    16 December 2009

    ChicaAndaluza rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Have just finished baking these and am feeling very Christmassy! Used all almonds and chopped mixed peel and dried apricots instead of cherries and raisins. Found they took a little longer to cook than the recipe states but this may just be my oven as I am in rural Spain and we don't have mains gas - the pressure on the canisters we have can be variable! Am planning my next batch already...using dried cranberries or dates perhaps.

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  • Binder photo Ruth

    18 December 2009

    Ruth rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Extremely yummy! I've made two batches, one with doves wheat and gluten free flour and the other with normal flour. The gluten free ones are drier and so crumbled more when I cut them up. Otherwise, they both taste fabulous!

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  • Binder photo fiona

    19 December 2009

    fiona commented on this recipe

    i have made these several years running and they have always worked well - second batch in the oven now - very tasty but i added ginger and nutmeg for extra spice! yeah theya re jaw tough but thats coz they are made to dunk in coffee etc! i dunk in hot choc as I'm not a coffee or tea drinker! Great gifts pachaged in cellophane bags with ribbon

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  • Binder photo Patou

    20 December 2009

    Patou rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I think these will be even better with double the quantity of pistachio nuts - these are so tasty and the bright green look like little gems. I will also substitue the fruit with chopped dried apricots.

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  • Binder photo KittyKat

    20 December 2009

    KittyKat rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Have just made these to go in my Christmas hampers and they are amazing, I've made sure that I've got some left over for us :) Like others I have swapped the cherries for cranberries for a slightly more Christmassy fee. Will definitely make these again.

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  • Binder photo Carolines'

    21 December 2009

    Carolines' rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really easy and good (watch your teeth) I passed them around various people I work with and they were all impressed.

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  • Binder photo Lacey

    21 December 2009

    Lacey rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very easy to make and very tasty. Recipe is simple to vary (i used cranberries too) and you could even divide the basic dough in half and put different fruit/nuts/choc into each half as you end up with loads of 'em!

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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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