Walnut, Orange and Black Pepper Biscotti

Submitted by spatchcock

"Old Gourmet recipe. As yet untried by me, but I am a biscotti nut and a pepper nut, so am recording in my files."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 32 biscotti

ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached for hard, bleached for more tender)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda (1/8 tsp. less if you want paler colour, more if darker)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt (change to 1/4)
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, fairly fine (changed to 1 1/2 tsp., go easy at first)
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar (changed to 3/4 cup sugar)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1 tablespoon lemon zest (or combination of all) or 1 tablespoon tangerine zest (or combination of all)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted, cooled and chopped fine (better done by hand)
• 1⁄2 cup pine nuts (eliminated, used more walnuts)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To begin, toast and chop the walnuts, have ready the zests, grind the pepper and bring butter and eggs to room temperature.
3. Line two trays with parchment paper or nonstick liners like Exopat. Have ready a large floured surface, a dough scraper and extra parchment paper.
4. In a medium bowl sift the flours, baking powder, soda, salt and pepper.
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well, and add the zest and vanilla.
6. Stir in the dry mixture into the butter mixture, then add the nuts. Do not over mix but also don't leave streaks of flour either. You will have quite a goopy mess.
7. Tip the dough out onto your work surface. Divide the dough into pieces. Two pieces for large trad. size biscotti, four pieces for smaller, thinner ones.
8. With floured hands and/or your dough scraper, form into logs about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, quickly place onto trays about 3" apart, brush off excess flour, and put into the middle of preheated oven. (I say quickly because if you bumble about.
9. picking the logs up they will fall back onto the board. If this happens, don't worry, just form into logs and try again.).
10. If you don't want to cook all of the logs, wrap them up in parchment, then saran wrap and freeze.
11. Cook for about 20 mins (small) or 25 mins (large logs) until they are just turning golden.
12. Remove from oven, let cool on baking rack for 10 minutes or so -- longer doesn't hurt.
13. Now put the biscotti logs on a big cutting board, cut them on the diagonal about 3/4" wide, replace on same trays cut side down and place in oven (still 350° F.) for 7-8 minutes or until as hard as you want. I like them like granite so it takes them longer.
14. Let cool on racks and then store in airtight containers.

Reviews

[Busters friend]

You need to try your recipe spatchcock - it is outstanding! Next time I make it I plan to blend a tangerine peel with the sugar rather than messing with zesting & will keep the 2 t fresh ground black pepper. My nuts were too big & interfered with smooth cuts so I may chop them down a bit more. Also will ALWAYS use the bit of pine nuts - made a wonderful little burst of flavor & texture. This is a real keeper recipe - making a second batch either tonight or tomorrow. Thank you spatchcock!

 

[patriciawoodhatch]

Absolutely delicious. Easy to make. I joined recipezaar just so I could write this review. I followed the recipe.

 

[kelly in TO]

These are fantastic. This recipe is very very good. Thank you also for your own notes. I did also use 1.5 tsp of black pepper and I'm so glad I did. I also cut down a tad on the sugar which worked perfect for us. The pine nuts add a very distinct flavour, and I wouldn't think of removing them. Thanks so much for a great recipe.

 

[ladybug12]

This is soooo good. We have become totally addicted to these cookies. I make them several times a month. So easy to do and taste delicious. I leave out the zest and they taste just as good. Thank You for sharing.

 

[rosslare]

I've done it again, found yet another best biscotti recipe in the world! These where the best so far, according to DH as well. Light and crumbly but not too hard by texture and perfectly sweet and spicy by flavor. Do not fear, the black pepper is not too prominent, at all.