Baking with Linda: Chocolate-Cranberry-Walnut Biscotti



Chocolate Biscotti Dough
Perfectly Prepared by my Oldest Son

 All my boys, my husband, and extended family (or so they say) love these traditional Italian cookies, which I make about 2 -3 times a year & definitely for Christmas. A delicious blend of flavors and crunch make them a family favorite.

Cream together:
2/3 cup softened butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
4 organic eggs
3 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend dry ingredients (separately):
2/3 cup unsweetened, unsalted cocoa powder
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup dark, bittersweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup craisins, each sliced in half


Whip the softened butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in your KitchenAid Mixer. Incorporate dry ingredients separately in a big bowl. First break up the walnuts by hand and cut the craisins in thirds - less likely for the "bars" to fall apart when slicing them from the log formations.  Once splatter guards are in place (I recommend them!), spoon the dry mixture into the wet mixture, about a half cup at a time.

On Pam-sprayed cookie sheet, form two 12" by 4" logs. Tip from Mom: lightly coat your hands with flour so the dough doesn't stick to your fingers.

Bake 23-25 minutes @375 degrees.  Let cool 20 minutes before slicing, on a slight diagonal, into "bars."  I use a broad-blade knife to slice the logs; my knife measures 1.5"  by  6" and works perfectly.


Situate bars, flat-side-down, onto cookie sheet and bake 6 minutes on each side for about 5 minutes. This allows biscotti to cook through and become firm.

Almost 16, my oldest son is an expert at making these biscotti and can make them completely on his own. He and my 13-year-old fight over who's getting the mixing blade and batter bowl!  As he and his brothers have discovered, chocolate biscotti are excellent for dipping in tall glasses of milk. 
Biscotti look beautiful when served with a fine dusting of confectioner's powdered sugar.  They freeze very well; in fact, we like them right out of the freezer with a cup of capuccino or espresso.

La Dolce Vita

Baking with Linda - Walnut Shortbread Cookies

Baking with my children is a favorite pasttime in our home. This week, my three year old son-shine and I made Walnut Shortbread Cookies. Using a Krups electric coffee grinder, he scooped handfuls into the mill and, once the protective top was in place, pressed down firmly on it to start grinding up the walnuts - this recipe called for 1.5 cups finely chopped walnuts, 4.5 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups vegetable shortening or butter (room temp), 2.5 cups packed light brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Combine flour and finely-ground walnuts.  Cream shortening and brown sugar in a large, separate bowl.  Beat in vanilla. Gradually, blend in the dry ingredients.


Pouring and placing the ingredients into our KitchenAid heavy duty mixer is something the little one loves to do!  And, once the pair of interlocking splatter guards are in place (thank goodness for them!), he lets the powerful mixer rip and hum.  Nothing mixes as evenly or easily as the lifesaving mixer, which my husband (god bless him) picked up for me over a decade ago.

Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of shortbread dough and place 1.5 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Flatten with back of teaspoon (dust spoon with flour first so it doesn't stick). Press half a walnut onto top of cookie.


Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in 350 degree oven
 for 12-15 minutes
or until light golden brown.

My Little Helper Loads up the Walnuts.
Everyone Home Should Have a  Recipe Book
Just for Cookies

 Delicious topped with a sweet dusting of powdered confectioner's sugar. My oldest son loves the taste of these cookies with a tall glass of milk or hot cocoa but, ironicaly, prefers them with the half walnuts removed.

Always helpful, my thirteen-year-old son held these silk poinsettias in place while I took the photo.  Chip proof and lightweight, my red lucite serving tray  is one of my favorites. With the half-walnut on top, these cookies are tempting and elegant.

Timesaver:  If you want to bake ahead, these cookies freeze beautifully in freezer-safe Tupperware.


Economizing Key: If you don't have enough walnuts, you can top the remaining cookies with pecan halves instead. In fact, this shortbread recipe can be made by completely replacing walnuts with pecans. If you don't have another cookie to pair these with, place dried apricots here and there in between the cookies. Fruit and nuts - good combo.