Well, ever since I wrote the post last week about wanting to open a Biscotti Shop in Florence I have had Biscotti on the brain. It’s too far away from Christmas, so that can’t be it. Today is a good day for experimentation, so I got to work. I had my recipe for Lemon-Almond and Toasted Coconut Scones on my mind so I decided to try this combo in a biscotti – and add dried apricots for fun.
Here is what I did:
The Apricot, Almond and Toasted Coconut Biscotti
2 cups all purpose flour
1 – 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
zest of one lemon
6 tblsp butter at room temp
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
3/4 cups toasted coconut (sweetened coconut on a sheet pan @ 325 until toasted -about 15 min; cool)
3/4 cups toasted slivered almonds
3/4 cups finely chopped dried apricots
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, whisk together, flour, ginger, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, soften butter. Add sugar and blend well, scraping sides of bowl and paddle. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add extracts and blend again.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or a spatula until most of the flour in incorporated. Add the coconut, almonds and apricots and mix again until the dough is totally combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 10″ x 2″ log. Place on a baking sheet which has been covered with a piece of parchment paper. Brush with the egg wash.
Bake about 40-45 minutes or until the log is golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
Ok, confession: I was outside taking pictures of my Morning Glories (again) and these got a little over-toasted in the oven – I like them this way!
Place on a cutting board (move this very carefully – mine broke apart when I was transferring it to the cutting board) and with a serrated knife, carefully slice into 1/2″ slices on the diagonal.
Return to the oven and bake another 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned – turning each biscotti to second side after 7 minutes.
Drizzle or dip in melted white chocolate if desired. Can add a little lemon zest to it if you want.
Morning Has Broken:
Sunrise outside my back door this morning. (Those of you Facebook friends see I have some sort of weird thing with (mostly old) song lyrics…..today is a good example.)
And, now I’m obsessed……can we make it to Nov 1st????
Hope so!!!!!!!! (the gymnastics I have to perform to get these pics now are challenging – these blooms are right up against the wall of my little garage and tucked nearly inside the window box, which is about 7 feet off the ground – most of the buds are done now…..)