RECIPE: Biscotti (Cantucci)

This is a wonderful biscuit to bake, particularly at Christmas. Add some festive style ingredients by including your favourite dried fruit like cranberries or orange peel. Or even coat in melted dark chocolate for something extra special. These biscotti take a little longer than regular biscuits, due to being twice-baked, which results in their trademark crunchiness. For toasting your own nuts, see the tip below.

MAKES 15-20 BISCOTTI | 70 MINUTES + COOLING

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients

2 cups plain flour, sifted + extra for dusting

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons tapioca starch or cornflour (corn starch)

Wet ingredients

¾ cup soy milk

¼ cup vegan butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large cup toasted nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts or hazelnuts)

¼ cup dried fruit, like cranberries (optional)

METHOD

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 170C.

Pour all the dry ingredients into a large bowl, except for the nuts. Make a well in the centre and add ½ cup of the soy milk, butter and vanilla. Using a fork, mix the wet into the dry ingredients. Stir in the remaining soy milk if you need. Put the fork aside and let your hands massage it into a dough. You may need to sprinkle in extra flour if its too sticky. You want a wet dough, but you don't want it sticking all over your hands.

Turn onto a floured bench and roll the dough until smooth. Dust a little extra flour if necessary. Flatten the dough slightly. Scatter the chopped toasted nuts over the dough and press firmly in. Fold the dough over the nuts and knead until nuts are evenly distributed.

Dust your surface with flour and roll dough into a thick log. Cut the log into 3 even pieces. Taking each piece, roll into a neat log approximately 20cm in length. Place the 3 logs evenly spaced on a tray lined with baking paper.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Use a sharp knife and cut the logs into diagonal biscotti pieces, approximately 1.5-2cm thick.

Place biscotti back onto the tray and return to the oven and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. Best served dipped in coffee!

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TIP: For toasted nuts, spread nuts onto an oven tray and toast in a 170C fan-forced oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. For a more indulgent version, drizzle or dip biscotti into melted dark chocolate.