Cherry Pistachio Biscotti

makes about 30

1 1/2 cups + 3 tablesoons (350g) sugar
2 1/2 cups (350g) flour
1/2 tsp (3g) baking powder
1 lemon zest
3 large eggs
1 cup (150g) pistachios
2/3 cup (120g) dried cherries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Stir up the sugar, flour, baking powder, and lemon zest in a large bowl.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk up the eggs and pour it over the dry stuff. Swoosh it and stir it and mix it around. It looks like too little liquid for the amount of dry stuff in the bowl, but be persistent. Then smoosh it up with your hand until a dough forms.

3. Coarsely chop the pistachios and dried cherries. Work them into the dough.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into 2 or 3 logs, about 2″ in diameter. Their length will depend on how long your sheet pan is. Lay them out on a parchment lined sheet pan. The dough gets lots of rise, even almost doubles while baking, so the logs should be a fair distance apart. I got 2 logs from this dough.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes. The top will be pale golden, and so will the underside. Keep your shirt on while they cool, about an hour. You can keep the oven heated if you want, (maybe your house is cold, who knows?) to toast them once they’re sliced, or you can preheat the oven right before you’re ready to toast.

6. When they’re mostly cool, slice them on a steep bias in 1/2 inch pieces. The cookie is quite firm and sturdy, so it’s best to use a serrated knife and work with a back-and-forth sawing motion, like you’re chopping down a tree. I’ve seen people try to slice them while pushing the knife downward, and all it does is mangle the cookies. A back and forth glide will give the cleanest cut.

7. Spread them out back-to-back on a parchment-lined baking sheet and get ‘em toasting. Toast on one side for a few minutes (about 7), then flip them all (use tongs, or a fork, or even your calloused fingers), and toast them for 5 more minutes. They’ll take on a slightly darker hue along the edges. You can even bite into one to test it for your preferred amount of crunch and if it’s still too soft, keep toasting. They’ll be great for a week at room temp in an airtight container.