Every year as soon as my kids come home for Christmas, they look to see which sweets they want to eat first. Each of them has their favorite. Bill loves orange rolls. Daniel’s favorite is cinnamon rolls, and Lindsey makes a beeline for the freezer looking for cracker candy hidden behind the frozen peas. 

I try to send food gifts to my friends each year. This year I decided to make Biscotti. This isn’t your typical grocery store Biscotti that is rock hard and could break a window! No, this Biscotti is scented with orange, crunchy like a crisp sugar cookie and topped with drizzles of white chocolate, juicy Craisins, and almond slices. Packaged in clear plastic and tied with a festive ribbon, it makes a homemade gift everyone will enjoy! 

Cranberry Orange Almond Biscotti

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
2 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Zest from one orange
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
Garnish: 4 -6 squares white chocolate bark, Craisins, and sliced almonds.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a metal baking sheet with parchment paper. Cream butter, sugar, salt ,vanilla and orange zest and baking powder with a mixer set on medium high speed. Add eggs. The dough will look curdled- don’t worry. Lower mixer speed to low and add flour. Mix until it all comes together, scrape sides down, and mix again briefly. The dough will be very sticky. Divide dough into two equal portions. Get your ruler out. Using wet hands or a wet dough scraper; shape dough into 2 logs that are 9 and 1/2-inches long by 2-inches wide by 3/4-inch tall. 

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately mist top and all sides of baked logs with water (I just used wet hands- Wetting the baked Biscotti softens the crust and makes it easier to slice- if you skip this step the biscotti may break apart when you slice it). Wait 5 minutes. Using a pizza cutter, slice the Biscotti into 1/2-inch wide slices. Separate the slices leaving a 1-inch space between each slice. (each slice should be standing up!) Return to oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes more.  The Biscotti will be just beginning to turn brown on the edges and feel almost dry (the slices will continue to dry while cooling). Cool completely before decorating.

To decorate: Turn all biscotti on its side; Decorate top. Melt 3 squares of white chocolate bark according to package directions. Drizzle half of Biscotti with white chocolate.  Immediately sprinkle with Craisins and almond slices using the white chocolate like you would use glue to stick the toppings to the biscotti. Melt 2 more blocks of white chocolate bark. Repeat the procedure for the other half of the biscotti.  

Tip: If you love almond flavor add 1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring to the dough. Toast the almonds if you like them toasted. Makes around 32 slices (Doc ate the ends!)