Cranberry, Orange, and Walnut Biscotti
With lockdown putting my Taylored Bake Off Challenge on hold, I found myself in need of snacks, and biscotti seemed like the perfect solution—especially since I could actually eat them all myself! Biscotti were a signature bake on Bake Off, which gave me some creative freedom. The beauty of biscotti is how easy and adaptable they are. While I’ve made cranberry, orange, and walnut biscotti here, you can easily tweak the recipe. I’d suggest sticking to three key elements: A zestable fruit—like lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit. Something sweet—dried fruit or chocolate chips. Something crunchy—nuts are ideal. If you’re mixing things up, use 100 grams of each sweet and crunchy ingredient, and make sure they’re chopped if they’re chunky. Have fun experimenting, and enjoy!
Makes 12-14 (large)
Hands-on Time 15 minutes (plus cooling)
Baking Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
250g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/8 tsp fine salt
1 tsp baking powder
120g caster sugar
1 large orange (zest only)
2 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
100g dried cranberries
100g walnut pieces (or chopped walnuts)
Equipment
Baking sheet
Parchment
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Fine grater
Serrated bread knife
Wire rack
Method
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C (fan)/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Make the Dough
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
Grate the zest of the orange into the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until a thick dough forms.
Stir in the dried cranberries and walnut pieces until evenly distributed.
3. Shape the Biscotti Log
Lightly flour a worktop and turn the dough out onto it. Shape the dough into a log approximately 35cm long and 5cm wide. Flatten the sides slightly if needed.
Transfer the log onto the lined baking sheet.
4. Bake the Log
Bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let the log cool for 5-10 minutes until it’s cool enough to handle.
Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C/130°C (fan)/300°F/Gas Mark 2.
5. Slice and Bake Again
Slide the parchment and log onto a worktop. Line the baking sheet with fresh parchment.
Using a serrated bread knife, slice the log diagonally into 2cm thick slices.
Place the slices cut-side down on the lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. Flip the biscotti and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden on both sides.
6. Cool and Serve
Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Tip
For a fun twist, dip one end of the cooled biscotti in melted dark chocolate and let it set before serving.
Enjoy!
