Cranberry and Orange Biscotti

Last week, as I was wondering when to try this amazing biscotti recipe I had found, I decided holi would be the perfect time to bake them and share it with my friends. After all this was my first holi in India after 11 years, so something sweet was definitely in order!

Holi is the festival of colors. According to the Hindu calendar, it celebrates the beginning of spring and end of winter. Friends and Family gather on this day as they color each other and forget about any resentment or rivalries there might have been in the past.

Any festival in India is incomplete without delicious food and holi is no different. Different communities in India prepare their special food. The most famous and traditional being Thandai (Milk based drink with different nuts such as almonds, cashews, cardamoms and saffron) mixed with a little bhaang.

This year I decided to give an Italian twist to the festival of colors by making these classic twice-baked cookie. The tartness from the cranberry pairs excellently with the freshness from the orange. Biscotti's had a lovely crispy edge and a porous texture which makes it a great for dipping in coffee or tea. All my friends loved it till the last crumb. It was love at first bite for them!

Loads of laughs, tons of pictures, great friends and these biscotti's! A perfect combination to celebrate any festival!


Cranberry and Orange Biscotti
Adapted from www.bettycrocker.com 

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp grated orange peel
• 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 6 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 cup Maida (All purpose flour)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries ( you can also substitute it with Slivered Almonds)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2-3 tbsp of fresh orange juice

Directions:

• Heat oven to 150C. Mix 2 tbsp of flaxseed with 6 tbsp of water and set it aside for 10mins
• In a large bowl, stir together sugar, oil, orange peel, orange juice,vanilla and the flaxseed mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface. knead until smooth. On ungreased cookie sheet, shape half of dough at a time into 10x3-inch rectangle.
• Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 15 mins. Cut rectangle crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.
• Bake for another 15 mins, turning once, until crisp and light brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.