Fig & Pistachio Biscotti

This post comes courtesy of Marie Renello, blogger at Proud Italian Cook.

 

If you were to ask me what my personal favorite biscotti is I would have to say it’s my fig and pistachio version. Dried fig with just a hint of orange and anise flavors the crunchy biscotti, which are studded with pistachios. You can’t beat these with a warm cup of espresso on the side; every bite is so full of flavor!

 

If you like figs like my family does, you will love these. Bake some for gifts as I do, place them in a pretty box or tin between layers of wax paper, they stay fresh for a month.

 

Fig & Pistachio Biscotti

1 tsp. anise seeds

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. anise extract

1 tsp. grated orange zest

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

4 ounces dried figs, cut into 1/4-inch dice with stems removed (Note: It’s a lot easier to pulse your figs in a food processor. Just make sure to leave them chunky, like the size of a pea, and make sure you snip off the tips of your figs first, as they tend to be hard and inedible)

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

With your mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, extracts, and zest, and beat until creamy and light.

 

Combine dry ingredients together, then add to the butter mixture,  and add the figs and the nuts last. Mix everything on low speed until incorporated then remove dough and divide in half.

 

Form two 9×2 inch logs, place on parchment-lined baking sheet apart from each other, and bake until lightly browned (25 to 30 minutes).

 

Remove from oven and let them cool down; don’t cut them when they’re hot, as they’ll crumble. Using a serrated knife, take your time and slowly cut logs into 1/2-inch thick slices.

 

Arrange biscotti on their sides on the baking sheet. Return to oven and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Turn biscotti over on the other side and bake for another 10 minutes more, or until they reach the desired crispiness. Cool on racks. Makes about 40 biscotti.

 

About the author: Marie is a passionate Italian home cook from Chicago and the creator of Proud Italian Cook, her food blog which she started 4 years ago. She enjoys every aspect of blogging, searching out the finest ingredients, the actual cooking process, writing and photographing her food, most of all it’s the joy she has sharing it with family, friends, and all her loyal readers. Her style of cooking is old world classics with a contemporary flair. Her blog has been recognized as one of “Chicago’s Best Blogs”.