What’s the holidays without a little liquor? Egg nog gets spiked. Hot toddies have hardly any water. Apple cider takes on a bourbon aroma. And the bubbly gets poured into just about everything from orange juice to Jell-o for the New Year. So I say, why not bake with booze, too?
On this 9th day of the 12 Baking Day of Christmas, I give to you an Italian cookie laden with rum-soaked cherries and sliced almonds. (Think of it as the sweet cousin to rum raisin.)
Allow me to share some very cool things about biscotti.
These cookies are baked twice. The double-baking process not only creates a delightfully crunchy texture, but it also makes these cookies very dry. The low moisture content allows them to be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week. You can store them in the freezer for 3 months. You’ll never be without an accompaniment to coffee again. And since they keep so well, they are a great choice to give as a gift.
Truth be told, I am not a fan of the extreme crunch of some biscotti, but with this recipe, I cut the slices a little thinner which leads to a more pleasing bite. No more gnawing on rock hard biscotti or potentially chipping a tooth. Plus, the spiced-rum cherries in this biscotti add a chewiness to balance out the crunch.
Biscotti is a blank canvas waiting for goodies to arrive: chocolate, hazelnut, cranberry, pistachio, rum raisin, almond, anise, pumpkin pie… the options are endless. Today’s goody is spiced rum. Oh, and tart dried cherries. And almond slices. And let’s not forget about the semi-sweet chocolate. I mean, come on, all of that is a winning combination!
The best thing about biscotti is the way it tastes when enjoyed with your favorite beverage. Dunk them into hot coffee. Nibble along with a cup of hot tea. Devour it in two bites with a sweet dessert wine. (I’m not judging!) Enjoy! — v.
The 12 Baking Days of Christmas 2015
Day 1 ❄︎ Cookies For Santa
Day 2 ❄︎ Cranberry Bliss Bars
Day 3 ❄︎ Saltine Toffee Bark
Day 4 ❄︎ Holiday Baked Brie
Day 5 ❄︎ Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Day 6 ❄︎ Baked French Toast Casserole
Day 7 ❄︎ Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Day 8 ❄︎ Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
Day 9 ❄︎ Cherry-Rum Biscotti
Day 10 ❄︎ Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Day 11 ❄︎ Snowflake Sugar Cookies
Day 12 ❄︎ Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
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Cherry-Rum Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup spiced rum
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2 Microwave cherries and rum in covered bowl until bubbly, about 1 minute. Let sit until cherries have plumped, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.
- Step 3 In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Step 4 In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix after each addition. Add vanilla and almond and blend well. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, almonds and cherries. Mix just until combined.
- Step 5 Divide dough into two 7×3-inch logs on prepared baking sheet. Bake 25-27 minutes until edges are light brown and tops feel firm when gently touched. Let cool on sheet about 30 minutes.
- Step 6 Using a serrated knife, cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place cut side down on freshly lined baking sheets and bake 10 minutes. Flip and bake another 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool 10 minutes on sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
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Step 7
Optional: Microwave chocolate chips for 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Add half-and-half to thin to desired consistency. Dip biscotti into chocolate to coat.
This recipe is adapted from The Curvy Carrot.
