Pumpkin, pumpkin, everywhere. As soon as October hits, most people start thinking about pumpkin. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin everything. As much as I love baking those things with pumpkin I wanted to try something different. When I saw this recipe for pumpkin biscotti I had to bake it right away.
Biscotti means “twice cooked”. This Italian cookie is crisp and is traditionally dipped into espresso or cappuccino. Biscotti is said to have originated during Columbus’s time and credited to an Italian baker who originally served them with Tuscan wines. They became so popular that every province developed their own flavored version. Because of their long storage ability they were an ideal food for sailors, soldiers, and fisherman. In Italy, biscotti usually have almonds.
In the past I haven’t had the most success with biscotti- they get burnt, break apart and just look ugly. I’m happy to report that today’s experience was a SUCCESS! Did you know that traditional biscotti are made with just flour, sugar, and eggs? I think maybe that was my problem with prior recipes. They all called for butter, which, while delicious, they resulted in a more tender cookie that crumbled. These biscotti are crisp.
Pumpkin Biscotti
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups of flour
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1.5 teaspoons of pumpkin spice
- Pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Method
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and spices into a large bowl.
2 In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Give it a rough stir to generally incorporate the ingredients, the dough will be crumbly.
3 Flour your hands and a clean kitchen surface and lightly knead the dough. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Form the dough into a large log, roughly about 15-20 inches by 6-7 inches. The loaves should be relatively flat, only about 1/2 inch high. Bake for 22-30 minutes at 350 F, until the center is firm to the touch. {Feel free to also form two smaller logs for cute two-bite biscotti; just cut the baking time to 18-24 minutes.}
4 Let biscotti cool for 15 minutes and then using a serrated knife cut into 1 inch wide pieces. Turn the oven to 300 F and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Cool completely.
Biscotti may be still a tad moist and chewy, so if you prefer it crisp let it sit uncovered overnight in a dry space. Serve and enjoy.
Makes approximately 24 cookies.
To make the cookies extra special {and festive for Halloween} I melted semisweet chocolate chips and dipped the biscotti halfway. Then I added some orange sugar to finish it off. I don’t care for white chocolate, but I have a feeling that would work well in this recipe.
I am so happy with the final product!
I have a 3 day weekend since it’s Fall break. Hallelujah. Somehow God made it so that I only have 1 assignment due on Monday. I can’t believe I will have free time to enjoy the Halloween weekend! Tomorrow night Sof and I are going to carve pumpkins and make caramel apples. And maybe I can convince her to watch Hocus Pocus with me since it’s my favorite movie at this time of year. Renata- wish you were here to watch it with me!
] ; and (7) Watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I in London; and (8) Soaking up the European culture. Regardless to say, I cannot wait!
