Biscotti has been the cookie of the year..for me. It's usually rugelach (especially my cherry-pistachio rugelach, but this year..it's biscotti! And a delicious one at that. I love mixing flavors and textures when I'm baking and I am obsessed with anything lemon and lemon zest, So today we have a gorgeous cookie with bright lemon zest, small chunks of pistachios studded throughout the dough and at the end, drizzled with melted white chocolate.
As I walked into the kitchen this morning and picked up a homemade lemon pistachio biscotti, sipping my freshly French pressed Kona coffee, I looked at this gorgeous breakfast view and knew I had to capture it on camera. It was so delightful. The sun usually peaks in my kitchen at about 9am and is almost too harsh to look at. But at 7am, it's beautiful.
My kitchen looks as though dawn is about to set and is slightly grey. You smell the brew of coffee at 7am on the dot and there are always sweet baked treats lined on the counter-tops. I wanted to capture this moment today..sipping my coffee..in my favorite mug and savoring the simple daybreak.
Melting White Chocolate
White chocolate is much different than melting other chocolate because it has a much lower boiling point and can burn very quickly.
The trick to melting white chocolate is to use a double boiler. Have a pot of simmering water and a bowl that can fit snugly on top. The bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water, and the simmering water should ever so slightly and slowly heat the bowl, in which you have your white chocolate in.
As your bowl is slowly heating up, use your spatula to slowly and constantly stir the chocolate. A spoonful of coconut oil helps the chocolate melt evenly as well.
Coconut oil is a solid fat and melts beautifully when heated, So with 1 bag of white chocolate, add about 2 good sized tablespoons of coconut oil. Allow to melt together slowly and in about 5-8 minutes..you will have glistening, gorgeous and even more delicious melted white chocolate!
How to Make Lemon Pistachio Biscotti
1) In a large bowl, add the sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
2) Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer is fine), mix together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and vanilla. Mix until everything is incorporated and mixed well. Next, add 1 egg at a time until mixed together thoroughly.
3) On low speed, add your flour mixture in 3 additions. When you are at your last addition to add flour, put the pistachios in with the flour and coat together so the pistachios are covered with flour. This helps them mix evenly so the nuts don't sink to the bottom of the batter. Mix everything until just mixed through.
4) Place dough on lightly floured surface. It will be VERY sticking. Add about ¼-1/2 cup additional flour and coat on all side so it does not feel sticking anymore. Cut dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
5) When dough is ready, bring it back to your lightly floured work surface. At this point you can either take each half and cut into thirds for mini biscotti or cut in half.
6) Take each piece of dough and gently roll it into a long log, about 9-10 inches long. Place it on a non-stick baking sheet. If you are doing mini biscotti, you can fit 3 logs on your baking sheet. If you're making larger biscotti, only place 2 because they spread a bit.
7) Bake logs at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.
8) When done, allow to cool enough to handle and then use a serrated knife to cut the biscotti on a very sharp angle. Place cookies cut side up back on the baking sheet and allow to continue baking for another 15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.
9) When done, allow the cookies to cool on a wired rack and make the melted white chocolate.
10) To make the melted white chocolate, get a double boiler ready by bringing a small pot of water to a simmer. Place a glass bowl on top of the top and make sure that the bottom of the bowl is NOT touching the water.
11) Add the white chocolate chips and coconut oil and slowly stir, allowing both the oil and chocolate to melt. Continue this until the chocolate is fully melted.
12) Then, use a spoon and drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti. Or you can dip half the biscotti into the white chocolate. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet or wire rack until chocolate solidifies on the cookie.
Lemon Pistachio and White Chocolate Biscotti
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups plain flour sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking soda sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 Tb lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios roughly chopped
White Chocolate
- 11 oz bag white chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer is fine), mix together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and vanilla. Mix until everything is incorporated and mixed well. Next, add 1 egg at a time until mixed together thoroughly.
- On low speed, add your flour mixture in 3 additions. When you are at your last addition to add flour, put the pistachios in with the flour and coat together so the pistachios are covered with flour. This helps them mix evenly so the nuts don't sink to the bottom of the batter. Mix everything until just mixed through.
- Place dough on lightly floured surface. It will be VERY sticking. Add about ¼-1/2 cup additional flour and coat on all side so it does not feel sticking anymore. Cut dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- When dough is ready, bring it back to your lightly floured work surface. At this point you can either take each half and cut into thirds for mini biscotti or cut in half.
- Take each piece of dough and gently roll it into a long log, about 9-10 inches long. Place it on a non-stick baking sheet. If you are doing mini biscotti, you can fit 3 logs on your baking sheet. If you're making larger biscotti, only place 2 because they spread a bit.
- Bake logs at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.
- When done, allow to cool enough to handle and then use a serrated knife to cut the biscotti on a very sharp angle. Place cookies cut side up back on the baking sheet and allow to continue baking for another 15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.
- When done, allow the cookies to cool on a wired rack and make the melted white chocolate.
- To make the melted white chocolate, get a double boiler ready by bringing a small pot of water to a simmer. Place a glass bowl on top of the top and make sure that the bottom of the bowl is NOT touching the water.
- Add the white chocolate chips and coconut oil and slowly stir, allowing both the oil and chocolate to melt. Continuing this until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Then, use a spoon and drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti. Or you can dip half the biscotti into the white chocolate. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet or wire rack until chocolate solidifies on the cookie.
Marcia says
These look amazing. What can I use in place of coconut oil with heating the white chocolate? I just never use it and it seems such a waste to buy for one recipe. Can you taste the coconut - my sister hates coconut.
I love your recipes. We make mandel brot with a recipe that is over 75 years old. Also have a rugelah recipe it I want to try the cherry pistachio one of yours.
Thanks so much for an amazing site. A happy healthy New Year.
Za. rizik says
You seem to love pistachios as much as I do! Haven’t made biscotti in a while, but they are such a great dipping cookie. This recipe is a keeper.
EL Mehdi says
Looks very tasty <3, I'm going to give this a try. I hope it will be as easy to make it as it described here
Laura P. says
Oh, the filled cookies would be awesome! But loving the cake pans as well 🙂
Allison (Spontaneous Tomato) says
I would give this prize to my fiancée if I won... and she would probably use it to make chocolate peppermint cupcakes first!
Kim Beaulieu says
I have a love/hate relationship with melting white chocolate. But when it's good it's SO good. I love this recipe. It's seriously pretty and I bet these taste fabulous.
Thank you again for joining us for Christmas Week. It's been lovely having aboard.
Cathy says
Beautiful biscotti--I love the lemon and white chocolate combo!
Samantha says
Thank you so much Cathy!
itzia says
I would make some mexican hot chocolate cupcakes
Carla says
Lemon and pistachio caught my eye in the title. Love biscotti because it means you can eat cookies for breakfast 😉
The Ninja Baker says
Gorgeous biscotti, Samantha! And great tips about melting white chocolate...Coconut oil is so healthy and it's tastier, too =)
Margot C says
I think I might start knocking out some biscotti. I made an almond with golden raisins one but I like the look of yours a lot too.
Samantha says
Thanks Margot! I love the idea of raisins too! I may try that!
Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! says
I always thought making biscotti would be more difficult than this, but the pictures are extremely helpful! These looks delicious and the white chocolate was a great idea!!
Samantha says
Thanks Kristin!! It is much easier than everyone thinks!! Love biscotti now 🙂
Hezzi-D says
These looks so yummy! Love the lemon white chocolate combo.
Samantha says
Thank you so much Hezzi!! Can't wait to check out yours...I'm so behind this week lol