The Girl's Christmas Hamper 2010 - Christmas Biscotti

As promised, here is part 2 of 'The Girl's' Christmas Hampers.  To go along with the Christmas Cream Liqueur I decided to make them some biscotti too.  This is a recipe my Mum made for Christmas Hampers quite a few years ago, I believe it is possibly a Belinda Jeffery recipe originally but I'm not 100% sure!  The only problem with making biscotti is that one of the girl's is wheat intolerant and another has just been advised to cut gluten out of her diet altogether.  I frantic search of the Internet for suitable recipes and / or substitutions proved fruitless so I called upon the wonderful Katie from Apple and Spice for a bit of advice!  With Katie's help I was able to make a wheat and gluten free version as well as the originally, thanks Katie ;0)

Christmas Biscotti
250g plain flour (for the wheat and gluten free version I used a plain flour mix from Doves)
3/4 tsp baking powder (for the wheat and gluten free version I used bicarb ... but I am now the proud owner of gluten free baking powder!)
125 caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g almonds, chopped
50g dried cranberries or cherries
2 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 180C.  Lightly grease a baking tray.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.  Stir in the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Add the vanilla extract and then the nuts and fruit.  Pour in the egg and mix until the mixture forms a firm dough.  You may need to use a little extra flour if the mixture feels too sticky (if it sticks to the bowl for example).

Flour the work surface or a large board, and your hands, and shape the mixture into a log about 30cm long.  put into the baking tray and cook for about 30 mins until firm.  Allow to cool for about 10 mins then cut into 2cm wide slices.  Put slices onto a clean baking tray (ungreased) and bake for another 15-20 mins, turning halfway through, until golden.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Makes around 20 slices

* You can flavour the biscotti with anything you like; almonds, hazelnuts, chocolate chips, pistachios etc.

Because its Christmas time I thought the biscotti called for a bit of added bling.  I tempered a batch of milk chocolate and dipped the biscotti in it and then sprinkled some edible golden stars over before the chocolate set.