Dried Fruit Cookie Recipes - Busy Bee Biscotti

Ingredients

• 1 cup/150 g whole almonds

• 3 1/3 cups/500 g all-purpose/plain flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup/125 g butter, softened

• 1/2 cup/100 g granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 3/4 cup/180 ml honey

• 1 cup/50 g chopped candied lemon peel

• 1 cup/100 g chopped candied orange peel

• 2 tbsp flaked almonds

• 1-2 tbsp chopped mixed candied peel

---

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/170°C/gas 3. Spread the whole almonds on a large baking sheet.

2. Toast for 7 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let cool completely and chop coarsely. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt into a medium bowl.

3. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Add 2 eggs, beating until just blended.

4. Heat the honey in a small saucepan over low heat until liquid. Stir the warm, honey, candied lemon and orange peel, and chopped almonds into the mixture.

5. Mix in the dry ingredients to form a smooth dough. Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch (5 mm).

7. Use a 2 1/2-inch (6-cm) cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used.

8. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, placing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush over the tops of the cookies.

9. Decorate with the flaked almonds and candied peel. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 10-12 minutes, or until just golden and crisp around the edges. Transfer to racks to cool.