Spring Biscotti

We're finally getting April showers.....in May. I shouldn't complain too much, it could be snowing after all. Or hailing. Or we could be invaded by Aliens. Oh! Even worse, Creed could be releasing a new album. There are worse things in this world than rains showers in May so I'll quit my complaining.

Growing up between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, I was introduced to the wonderful thing known as rusk. I'm not kidding you that even till this day, my relatives always bring me a bag of Pakistani rusks every opportunity they get because I'm still crazy about them. 

What is better than coming home after a long day of work and having some chai with rusks? Maybe seeing Henry Cavill naked but even that is almost secondary to the comforts of chai and rusks (please note the word almost). 

Rusk is a hard, dry baked cookie that accompanies tea. I was telling my mother how much I missed dipping rusk in my tea and of course, knowing my mother, she says "Why don't you go make some since you're on this cooking binge." Thank you for your wonderful ideas mom but I know its because you want them more than I do.

While on the hunt of finding a good rusk recipe, I cam across this Biscotti recipe. I thought, hey, why not? It's twice baked and you dip it in your coffee (tea for me) and you munch on it. Since I'm being more adventurous than usual with my food, I decided to give this a try

Did this recipe compare to my beloved Rusk? Yes, it did. It was absolutely delicious. I'm a bit sad that I have spent all these years of my life without dipping biscuits into my tea when it is so easy to make. 

It will be a few months till I get to munch on my long lost rusk but I will happily be munching on these (not excessively) until that day comes. It was absolutely wonderful with my tea. 

I just realized that I sound like an old British lady (I think British old ladies are cool incase you get the wrong idea). So I guess I sound like a badass British old lady who likes her biscuits with her tea. That was a pointless rant...anyways, here is the recipe. 

Spring Biscotti adapted and mildly modified from Allrecipes

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg white
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups pistachio nuts*

Directions
1. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and egg white one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually blend into the creamed mixture using a wooden spoon. Stir in the white chocolate, dried cranberries, and pistachios. Cover, and chill for 30 minutes, or until dough is no longer sticky.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface, and divide into halves. Form each half into a flattish log about 12 inches long by 3 inches wide. Arrange logs at least 3 inches apart on baking sheet.

3. Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until pale gold. Allow logs to cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle. On a cutting board, cut logs crosswise on a diagonal into 1 inch thick slices. Arrange on baking sheet.

4. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden. Transfer biscotti to wire racks, and cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

*I used 1/4 cup almonds and 1 cup pistachio