ORANGE + PISTACHIO BISCOTTI
18 People
108 Cals
ORANGE + PISTACHIO BISCOTTI
18 People
108 Cals
About the recipe
These Orange + Pistachio Biscotti are crisp, golden and beautifully fragrant with fresh orange, vanilla and honey. Studded with whole pistachios and plump sultanas, they’re the kind of simple homemade treat I love to have in the kitchen for morning coffee or an afternoon pick-me-up.My version is lower in sugar than many traditional biscotti recipes, using just a little raw sugar and honey for sweetness, while the sultanas and orange add their own natural sweetness and flavour. There’s also no need for butter or loads of added fat — just simple ingredients baked twice to create that classic biscotti crunch.I make a batch almost every week in the Cutter household. They keep beautifully, travel well and make a gorgeous homemade gift, especially around Christmas. I love serving them with dried blood orange and fresh rosemary for an elegant festive touch.Make them with spelt or all-purpose flour, or use a good gluten-free flour if needed. You can also make the recipe your own with almonds, cranberries, dried apricots or chunks of dark chocolate.Perfect for dipping into a beautiful espresso — simple, wholesome and absolutely delicious.
Nutrition Per Serving
108
Calories
2g
Fat
0.4g
Saturates
10g
Sugars
120mg
Salt
3g
Protein
16g
Carbs
2g
Fibre
Ingredients
- 100 g raw sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 220 g spelt flour all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour, plus up to 50 g extra if needed
- 80 g whole pistachios
- 80 g plump sultanas or dried cranberries
- To garnish optional
- Dried blood orange slices
- Fresh rosemary
Method
- Preheat your oven to 160°C fan / 320°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Combine the eggs, raw sugar, honey, oil, orange zest, sea salt and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk well until creamy and combined.
- Mix through the baking powder, then add 220 g flour and mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
- Fold through the pistachios and sultanas.
- The dough should be soft and sticky — that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. If it feels too wet to handle, add a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time. You may need up to another 30 g depending on the flour you use.
- Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes. This helps firm it up and makes it much easier to shape.
- Lightly flour your hands, or dampen them with a little water, then shape the dough into one long, slightly flattened log on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until lightly golden and set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 15 minutes.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, gently cut the log into biscotti approximately 1 cm thick.
- Arrange the biscotti cut-side down on the baking tray.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely. The biscotti will continue to crisp up as they cool.
- Serve with coffee and enjoy.
VARIATIONS
- Swap the pistachios for whole almonds, hazelnuts or macadamias.
- Replace the sultanas with dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots.
- Fold through a handful of dark chocolate chunks for an orange-chocolate version.
- For something a little more indulgent, dip one end of the cooled biscotti into melted dark chocolate and allow to set.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon or ground cardamom for a beautifully aromatic variation.
TO SERVE
- Pile the biscotti onto a beautiful serving tray and garnish with dried blood orange slices and fresh rosemary.
- Perfect with your morning espresso or afternoon coffee — and beautiful packaged up as a homemade gift.
NOTES + INSPIRATION
Flour: I love making these with organic spelt flour. For a gluten-free version, use a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Different flours absorb moisture differently, so start with 220 g and add a little more only if needed.
Sticky dough is good: Biscotti dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Resist adding too much flour or your biscotti can become dry. Chilling the dough for 20 minutes makes it much easier to shape.
Make them your own: Swap pistachios for almonds, hazelnuts or macadamias. Sultanas can be replaced with cranberries, chopped dried apricots or even dark chocolate chunks.
Orange + chocolate: For a more indulgent version, add dark chocolate chunks to the dough or dip the cooled biscotti into melted dark chocolate. Orange, pistachio and dark chocolate are gorgeous together.
For extra crunch: If you prefer a very crisp biscotti, turn them over after the second bake and give them another few minutes in the oven.
Beautiful for gifting: Biscotti keep well and make a lovely homemade gift. Pack them into a glass jar or gift box with dried orange and a sprig of rosemary.
Serving: I love these alongside an espresso, long black or pot of tea. For entertaining, pile them onto a platter with dried blood orange slices and fresh rosemary — simple and beautiful.
