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Recipes

Chestnut flour biscotti with figs, nuts and spices

cake
Desserts

A tasty recipe using some of the best products of the Autumn season. Note that chestnut flour has no gluten so it usually needs to be mixed with another flour when used in baking – pick your favourite. If you use another low gluten flour it will tend to be crumbly but still delicious. 

Ingredients

  • 200 gr of chestnut flour
  • 100 gr of plain, wholemeal or spelt flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 75 gr of honey
  • 25 gr of raw sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 70 gr of walnuts, shelled and chopped roughly
  • A splash of vin santo or any other dessert wine
  • 70 gr of dried figs, chopped roughly
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves

Method

Heat the oven to about 180ºC and prepare a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Sift the flours into a bowl and create a “well” in the centre.

Crack the eggs into the well and beat, incorporating the flours slowly as you go. As you’re mixing, note the consistency. The dough should be stiff like pastry dough, or stiff enough to shape into logs. Depending on the flour you used and the size and quality of your eggs you may get different results. If it’s too dry, you can add a few glugs of extra virgin olive oil while you’re mixing. If it’s too wet, leave out the vin santo or add a touch more flour. This is one of those sort of recipes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until just combined. Split the dough into two sections. Shape the dough into logs about 10cm or 3 inches wide and as long as your baking sheet. Place on baking sheet, about 5cm apart.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until browned. Remove the biscotti logs from the oven and while warm, slice the logs at a 45 degree angle into cookies about 1-2cm wide. Place these cookies back in the oven for another 15 minutes or until they are crunchy and golden-brown.

Allow to cool and serve with a small glass of vin santo or other dessert wine for dipping, if you’re being traditional. They also go nicely with coffee and even tea. Store in an air tight container.