Fig and Hazelnut Biscotti

And here goes the weekend baking. I love nothing more than a good baking project for the weekend, because usually it makes everybody happy. 
My god mother's birthday was last week and because it was a big one I wanted to surprise her by sending her a package. I have learned from my experience with boyfriends and best friends in military service that biscotti or cantuccini as they're called in Italy work great for sending, because they keep well for a long time and won't break easily. Perfect to send them on a long trip. 

This recipe is from Cynthia Barcomi's latest book "Cookies". She introduces four new recipes for cantuccini all of which are delicious and super easy. 

Here's the recipe: 
100g (3.5 oz) hazelnuts
270g (2 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon; 9.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
150g (5.3 oz) dried figs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for the figs
100g (a little more than 3/4 stick; 3.5 oz) unsalted butter
40g (2 slightly heaping tablespoons) granulated sugar
40g (2 slightly heaping tablespoons) dark brown sugar
zest of 1 organic orange, grated
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1) Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roast the hazelnuts for 6 minutes in the oven, then let them cool. Chop them roughly. 

2) Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Sprinkle the figs with the extra tablespoon of flour, then chop them roughly. Mix with the nuts.

3) Grate the zest from the orange. In a kitchen machine or a hand held blender, whisk the butter and both sugars along with the orange zest for 6 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and mix everything. 

4) Mix with the flour-mixture, then add the figs and nuts until everything is just coming together. The dough is a little sticky, but that is just right.

5) Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a loaf of 22cm (9 inches) length. 

6) Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden. Let cool slightly on the baking tray, then take a large serrated knife and cut the loafs into 1cm thick slices. Place cut-side up on the baking tray. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the biscotti with the cinnamon sugar.

7) Reduce the oven temperature to 170° (340°F). Bake the biscotti for 8 minutes, then take the tray out of the oven, turn the biscotti and sprinkle the other side with cinnamon sugar as well. Bake for another 8 minutes. 

8) Let the biscotti cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes. 
© Cynthia Barcomi "Cookies", p. 134.

Yield: about 24 pieces
Active preparation time: 25 minutes
Total preparation time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Here's how mine turned out:

I love how you can stack them in a glass and keep them on the countertop - they'll be gone like the wind. 

These cantuccini come with a wide range of flavors. There's zesty orange flavor, slightly tangy, the hazelnuts add warmth and earthiness, the figs crackle beautifully in your mouth when you take a bite and the cinnamon sugar sprinkle adds warmth and brings the different flavors together.

Don't be taken aback by the number of steps. The steps in itself are simple and easy and you will be rewarded with beautiful homemade biscotti in no time.

Have fun trying and have a great weekend!