Kringle Biscotti (Cranberry Chocolate Almond Biscotti)
Makes about 5 dozen
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ stick (¼ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 whole large egg, slightly beaten
⅓ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup slivered, unsalted almonds
1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
½ to 1 ounce Amaretto liqueur *
¾ cup chocolate chips
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
* Optional. In lieu of Amaretto, you can add either a) ¼ teaspoon almond extract, or b) a little more vanilla extract.
Preheat oven to 350°. Soak cranberries in Amaretto liqueur in a small bowl until ready to use.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add whole egg, milk and extracts, stirring with a fork or hands until a soft dough forms. If dry, add more milk. Add almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries to dough. Make sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
Divide dough into 2 to 4 portions. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, form each portion of dough into logs approximately 2½ inches wide and however long your prefer. Using hands to do this is best. Make logs using remaining dough. This dough will not spread, so you can place logs as close as 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
Brush logs with egg wash and bake in the middle of oven until pale golden and firm, about 20 minutes. When the cookies are done, take them out and cool slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 325°.
Cut logs diagonally into ½ inch-wide slices, or however thick you prefer, using a large heavy knife. Stand slices on their sides on the baking sheet lined with new parchment paper and bake until biscotti are dry, about 10 to 15 minutes per side. The biscotti will become hard as they cool.
Store biscotti layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an airtight room container at room temperature. They will keep about 2 weeks.