Biscotti with Pistachio and Dried Cherries

Source: Bon Appetit May, 2011

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine first 6 ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and next 5 ingredients. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; beat until combined. Fold in cherries and pistachios.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into a 16″ log.

Brush off excess flour; transfer logs to prepared sheet, spaced 5″ apart. Flatten each log into a 2″ wide strip.

Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until browned and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack; let cool for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temp. to 250 degrees. and arrange 1 rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third.

Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer biscotti to a work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut each strip diagonally into ⅓″ thick slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheets.

Bake biscotti, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until crisp, about 40 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks; let cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Dough is very dry and crumbly, tricky to work with, and difficult to keep all the fruit and nuts smooshed together.

Also tricky to move a 16″ log to the baking sheet. Do-able but tricky.