Scottish Heather Biscotti
24-30 cookies
1 cup whole toasted hazelnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
3 large eggs
3 Tbs olive oil
Grated zest of 1 orange (or two clementines) – reserve 1 tsp of zest.
1 tsp dried Scottish heather flowers
Topping:
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp dried Scottish heather flowers
Reserved 1 tsp of orange zest
1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees with one rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder and sea salt. Stir in the whole hazelnuts.
3) In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, orange zest and heather.
4) In an even smaller bowl, mix the topping ingredients together with your fingers.
5) Make a well in the dry mix and add the wet mix all at once. Mix together until evenly combined to form a dough.
6) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into four parts. Form each into a log, about 9” long and press gently to slightly flatten. Place two logs on each baking sheet. Sprinkle the topping mix evenly over the four logs.
7) Bake one sheet for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and bake the second sheet.
8) While the second sheet bakes: Let the first baked logs sit for five minutes to firm up, and then, using a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into slices, about ½ inch thick. Lay the slices on the baking sheet.
9) After the second sheet is removed from the oven, reduce the temperature to 300 degrees. Return the first sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown. Then do the same for the second sheet.
10) Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely.
