Lynda Booth’s Biscotti

Edible gifts are a sure way to please your kris kindle. We caught up with Lynda Booth owner of Dublin Cookery School in Blackrock to get her top edible gift recipe – biscotti with dried apricots and cranberries. These make the most perfect edible gifts and lets be honest nothing really beats a homemade delicious gift at Christmas. We hosted a Facebook Live cookery demo where Lynda showed us how to make biscotti.  If you missed our Facebook Live you can watch the video here.

Biscotti are not like other biscuits. They are baked twice so that they dry out and are generally dipped into dessert wine. Enjoy a glass with biscotti while sitting around the fire over Christmas or simply dip them into a cup of coffee. They will hold for a few months if kept in an airtight container. Created by Lynda Booth, Dublin Cookery School. Get this recipe and more from her cook book From Lynda’s Table

Biscotti With Dried Apricots & Cranberries

Ingredients:

• 500g plain flour
• 500g unrefined caster sugar (this is important for the flavour – it’s available in most supermarkets)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 200g dried apricots, sliced
• 100g plump sultanas
• 100g pitted dates, chopped
• 100g dried cranberries
• 100g whole blanched almonds chopped in three or whole pistachios
• zest of 2 lemons

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C Fan, 350°F, Gas 4.
2. Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Beat the eggs together in a small bowl and add the eggs bit by bit to the flour mixture. You may not need all of the egg, so hold back the last bit. The dough appears very dry at first and then suddenly becomes very soft. Add the fruit, nuts and lemon zest and knead into the mixture.
3. Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Divide into 6 and roll into sausage shapes about 3cm in diameter. Place, at least 6cm apart, on baking trays lined with baking parchment or a silicone mat. Very lightly flatten each roll with your hand. Bake until golden brown, 20–30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes to cool and firm up. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C, 120°C Fan, 275°F, Gas 1.
4. Gently remove the biscotti from the tray and place on a chopping board. With a serrated knife, cut the biscotti into 5mm slices and lay them side by side on the baking tray. Return them to the oven and cook for 12 minutes, then turn the biscotti over and cook for a further 10 minutes, until they are very pale golden. Do not let them get too dark in colour. Cool on wire racks and then store in an airtight container. The biscotti will harden when cold.

Lynda is one of the most passionate teachers in the country and if you are thinking of doing a cookery course check out Dublin Cookery School as they have a wide range of courses to choose from with some of Ireland’s leading chefs and of course Lynda herself. For more information see Dublin Cookery School.