Cranberry Orange Biscotti with Spelt is a special treat made with the ancient grain spelt, dried cranberries soaked in orange juice, and toasted slivered almonds.
I’ve been going full steam this Holiday season and haven’t had a lot of time for baking. So when I had a free minute the other day, I decided to make this fun and tasty biscotti using festive Holiday flavors.
Over the past few years, I’ve become a fan of biscotti because it doesn’t take very long to prepare and it’s a delightful treat for Holiday gatherings.
It was the perfect addition to a dinner I served a couple of weeks ago. I made a Parmesan Chicken Dish in the crockpot and when I offered my friend a plate of food, I said, “I didn’t make any bread!” He looked at me inquisitively, so I said with a big smile, “I made something else and you’ll have to wait and see what it is!”
After we finished enjoying the main dish, I told him not to look while I carefully arranged pieces of biscotti on festive plates and intermingled them with slices of orange. I didn’t take a photo because my friend was waiting patiently for dessert.
The Cranberry Orange Biscotti with Spelt served with the orange slices was a big hit. My friend enjoyed it so much, I sent some home with him to share. Not sure how much sharing he did, but I was pleased that he enjoyed them so much.
Biscotti means twice-baked. The extra bake gives it a delightful crunch, and due to its unique shape and texture, biscotti is great for dipping in coffee or tea.
This biscotti tastes great by itself, but when you pair it with slices of orange, it provides an added burst of flavor.
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Cranberry Orange Biscotti with Spelt
- Yield: 30-36 Biscotti 1x
Description
This Cranberry Orange Biscotti with Spelt is a special treat made of whole grain and all-purpose spelt, dried cranberries soaked in orange juice and toasted slivered almonds.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon grated orange rind (1 medium orange)
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose spelt flour, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup orange-flavored sweetened dried cranberries (I soaked dried cranberries in orange juice overnight)
- 3/4 cup toasted almond slivers
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, beat well; the add in the orange rind and orange extract. Mix well.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; and add to butter mixture, mix on low speed until thoroughly blended.
- Drain the cranberries. Add cranberries and almonds and stir to incorporate
- Divide the dough in half. Lightly flour your hands and work surface. Shape each portion into a 14″ x 2″ log.
- Place the logs about 3″ apart on a large greased baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 325° for 28 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool the logs on baking sheet 10 minutes.
- Cut each log into 1/2″-thick diagonal slices with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion. Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake 9 minutes; turn cookies over, and bake 12 more minutes.
- Transfer biscotti to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Adapted from Pistachio-Cranberry Biscotti found on AllRecipes http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pistachio-cranberry-biscotti
- Category: Biscotti
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- Shaped Biscotti Logs
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- Baked Biscotti Logs
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- Sliced Biscotti before 2nd Bake
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- Biscotti cooling on rack
Happy Baking!
Cathy
Do you cook the spelt before adding it?
Hi Dianne, this biscotti is made with all-purpose and whole grain Spelt flour, not spelt berries. I just checked the recipe and it should say whole grain spelt flour. Not whole grain spelt. I just edited it. Sorry for the confusion.