Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

This is my 8 year Christmas tradition.
One afternoon I just devote only to making these.
Because I cook and craft with reckless abandon,
the process is a bit intense.. ( read "messy") but
well worth it!

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Makes about 5 dozen..

3 cups sugar
2 sticks soft butter
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt ( more if you use unsalted butter)
6 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole raw pistachios
1 3/4 cups dried cranberries

big bag good quality chocolate chips.

position racks in the center of the oven and preheat to 325.
Get the really big bowl. This is a big batch. Cream butter and sugar and then add in eggs one at a time.
Mix in orange peel, baking soda and salt. Mix in 3 cups of flour and the nuts and fruit.
mix in the last three cups of flour, 1/2 a cup at a time until you have it all in there.
The dough will be crumbly looking.

(Messy part # 1:)
Flour that counter top and divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
Shape into long long rectangular loaves by pressing by hand until they hold their form.
These should be maybe 3x9.. They will expand when you bake them,
so only two per ungreased cookie sheet please. I tend to slide them off the edge of the counter onto the sheets and
reform them once they are in place.

Bake for about 55 minutes.. checking halfway to be ceratin they are cooking evenly and rotating if necessary.
They will be golden and feel firm when you tap on the tops when they are done.

Leave that oven on.

Cool the logs for 15 minutes on the sheets and then using an assistant or big spatulas transfer to a cutting board.

(Messy part # 2/ with crumbs) Slice into 1 inch slices with a sharp serated knife, and put them back on the cookie sheets. Back into the oven for 10 minutes per side.
(I do a little less these days, because I like a semi-tender biscotti) Transfer to racks and let cool completely.


(Messy part # 3/ with gooey chocolate)
I melt my chocolate chips in the microwave in batches. I melt for 1 minute for a cup of chips. They should need to be stirred to get them smoothly melted. You want them as cool as possible and still melted to be "tempered". That way they will look glossy on the cookies. This doesn't always happen but they taste great anyway. Smear on on side of the cookie with a rubber spatula and let harden..
repeat 5 dozen times.

eat all the broken ones standing up in the kitchen.