Italian Fruitcake Biscotti
Italian Fruitcake Biscotti. Christmas Eve is not only all about the seven fishes but you need to have a good dessert. Nothing pairs better with this Italian tradition than Italian biscottis. Not only are they super festive and fun to make but they make the whole house smell AMAZING. Definitely have these with a cappuccino...ok or maybe a spiked cappuccino because well it’s Christmas Eve!!
Christmas Eve is seriously one of my absolute favorite days of the year. There are loads of traditions that make this day perfect. I love cooking the seven fishes with my mom. Maybe drinking some bloody Marys ;) !! I also love having happy hour and a gift exchange with my uncles family. Then we come home and exchange our own gifts and of course over indulge in the seven fishes feast. The feast of the seven fishes has been our Christmas Eve tradition since I can remember. In the last few years, our new tradition has been to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas morning. I love exchanging on Christmas Eve now that my brother and I are older. It’s so much fun to listen to Christmas music, have festive cocktails, and give gifts! I LOVE giving gifts and seeing my family’s reactions! It’s one of my favorite parts of Christmas.
After the gift exchanging and the feast of the seven fishes, you obviously need a good dessert! This year I made biscottis for the first time. My inspiration came from our favorite bakery in Philly. Isgros makes the best biscottis I have ever had, and they also make all my favorite Italian cookies. So, I decided to give this Italian Biscotti recipe a try!
Mine are a little different than Isgros. Both biscottis are absolutely delicious, but in their own ways. So, if you’re looking to give biscottis a try, check out our recipe below!
Oh, and merry Christmas Eve! We hope everyone has an amazing holiday! Cheers!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter; softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/2 cups red glacé cherries
1/2 cup green glacé cherries
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and clove. Combine with the wet ingredients. Fold in the cherries.
Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, mold each into 12 inch long rectangles. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes or until light golden. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Transfer logs to a cutting board. Cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place slices upright on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a 300 degree oven until almost dry for about 35 - 40 minutes. Let cool before serving.
