Simnel biscotti, just in time for easter.
Jump to RecipeStudded with spices, dried fruit, marzipan and almonds and a little amaretto.
Biscotti are a great thing to make at the moment, because they last for ages, so that’s what inspired me to create them, rather than a softer cookie.
They are quite hard crunchy biscuit, perfect for dipping in coffee, or vin santo wine.
The flavours are inspired by the popular Easter simnel cake, which is a fruit cake with marzipan.
I thought the flavours would work well in biscuit form.
The word biscotti means twice baked, so these delicious biscuits are baked first as one loaf and then sliced, laid flat and baked again.
I usually make them at Christmas time and give them as gifts, but i wanted something to fill the biscuit tin with that would last for a while so decided to make some now.
The light is always so beautiful at golden hour in this room.
I had been looking at quotes recently seeking some positive words, this one from Harry potter stuck with me.
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”. Albus Dumbledore
I was so inspired that i decided to try a take a photo of light, showing how i had been trying to seek some small moments of joy.
With most of the nation on lock down, stuck in our homes, we can feel helpless. It can also be very frustrating for those that love to socialise not being able to see their friends and families.
Hopefully by staying home, this side of the window, We are helping to make a difference.
Easter simnel biscotti
The flavours of biscotti can be easily changed to add what you have, These are inspired by the cake popular at easter simnel cake,
For my hazelnut chocolate and orange biscotti find the recipe here
These can be made with self raising but do not add any more baking powder.
These crunchy biscotti are best enjoyed dipped in a drink.
simnel cake inspired biscotti Easter
Ingredients
- 300 g plain flour (if you are short on plain flour you can switch for self raising flour but not add any extra baking powder)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 140 g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 45 g ground almonds
- zest of one orange
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- seeds from 5 cardamon pods
- 1/8 tsp all spice
- 40 g flaked almonds
- 75 g mixed dried fruit (like currants or raisins)
- 2 tbsp amaretto
- 25 g marzipan chopped into small chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c. 350fGrind the seeds from the cardamon pods with a pastel and mortaronce ground add to a bowl with the other spices, flour, sugars, baking powder, ground almonds and a good pinch of salt and mixadd the orange zest, flaked almonds, dried fruit, and chopped marzipan and then mix in then beat the egg until frothy and add to the bowl with the amaretto and mix in.use your hands to bring it into a soft dough, then on a floured sheet of baking paper shape into a long log and place on tray. (if the dough is too wet then use some extra flour to help you shape it if needed)Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and turn the temperature down to 150c slice the log of dough at an angle using a sharp knife (i find a bread knife works well) and then place them flat on the baking tray and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden.let cool and serve with vin santo or coffee They will keep in an air tight container for 3 weeks.
For my hazelnut chocolate and orange biscotti find the recipe here
I love the light and the mood in these photos, Aimee. Hope you’re doing well.
great light and fantastic composition!
thank you x
In Canada, I have painstakingly converted grams to ml, tsps and cups, and.. my ‘dough’ is VERY dry – impossible to form into log, so I added a third beaten egg(&a drop more Amaretto) and finally formed a log. It’s in the oven now- but I’m nervous about slice-ability!?
Is it possible that this published recipe is missing a wet/moist ingredient?
hi mary, im sorry to hear you had problems, it was the opposite for me and i found the dough to be quite wet, i have read that brisitsh large eggs are called extra large eggs in America so i wonder if that is also the same in caranda, hopefully the extra egg that you added will make up for it. let me know how it goes xx