Christmas biscotti

1. Preheat your oven to 160 ̊C fan bake. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients, then add the pistachios and cranberries. Using a wooden spoon, stir well until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and bring together with your hands, then split the dough into two pieces.
4. Place one piece onto a lined tray and shape into a long, flattened log. Repeat with the second half of the dough and place on a second lined tray.
5. Place each tray into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden in colour. Leave to cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle, then slice into 1-2cm thick slices.
6. Lay the biscotti slices back onto the lined trays. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for a remaining 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then drizzle with white chocolate and sprinkle over some desiccated coconut to garnish. Place into the fridge to set.
8. Serve and enjoy or keep stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days. 

Tips

• Let the biscotti cool only for 10 minutes after the first bake. If you leave the biscotti to cool for too long after the first bake the biscotti will be too tough to cut. You want the biscotti warm, but not hot or else it will crumble.
• Flip the biscotti during the second bake so both sides bake evenly.
• Transfer cut biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely after the second bake. This will ensure both sides of the biscotti are crisp.

FAQs

• How do you cut biscotti without it crumbling?
  • When slicing biscotti, always use a serrated knife in a sawing motion, which reduces crumbling.
• Why did my biscotti come out flat?
  • It is likely that your oven is too hot. If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure
• Should biscotti dough be chilled before baking?
  • Because the dough can be sticky and hard to form, it's important to chill the batter for a good 30 minutes before baking the first time. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper then dust it with a little flour. Transfer the batter to the baking sheet and chill in the fridge.