Cherry-Walnut Biscotti

I love coffee and I've always wondered how to make my own biscotti. this recipe ends up fine, but there's a very difficult, messy component if you use frozen cherries. As you'lls ee in the video, I had to use my hands to work in the nuts and fruit. The frozen fruit made my fingers hurt with cold; then extra pain from squeezing pieces of walnut, plus a huge liquidy mess from the now thawed fruit juice. But if you persevere, it will come out pretty normal. A stand mixer with the hook attachment is probably the best way to avoid the cold, hard mess. 

Cherry-Walnut Biscotti

"Cook Yourself Sexy" by Candice Kumai

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs (*or aquafaba)
1.75 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1.5 cups raw walnuts (or pistachios), coarsely chopped
2 cups pitted cherries, halved and coarsely chopped (if using frozen, do not thaw; discard liquid and toss in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour)

Heat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla extract, then beat in the eggs. Combine the flour, sea salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into the egg mixture. Using a spatula, gently mix in the pistachios and cherries.

Lightly flour your hands and a work surface. Divide the dough in half and shape it into two 10-inchx2-inch logs on a baking sheet lined withi foil. If your dough is sticky, lightly flour your hands again.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or just until the logs are light brown and slightly firm on top. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 275F. Remove the logs from the baking sheet, and, using a serrated knife, cut the longs on a diagonal into 3/4-inch thick slices. Lay them on their sides on the same baking sheet. Bake approximately 45-50 more minutes (turning halfway through), or until dry and firm to the touch. Cool and serve with coffee or tea.