Ingredients
350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
250g golden caster sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
3 eggs, beaten
1 orange, zested
85g raisins
85g dried cherries
50g blanched almonds
50g shelled pistachios
Method
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Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and spice in a bowl, then stir in the eggs and zest until the mixture starts to clump. Bring the dough together with your hands – it will seem dry at first, but keep kneading until no floury patches remain. Work the fruit and nuts into the dough until evenly distributed.
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Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in four. Lightly flour your hands, roll each piece into a sausage about 30cm long, then place two on each tray, spaced well apart. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough has risen and spread, and feels firm (it should still look pale). Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and reduce oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1.
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When cool enough to handle, use a bread knife to cut into slices about 1cm thick on the diagonal. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheets (the biscuits can be frozen on the sheet, then bagged and kept for up to two months). Bake for 15 mins (20 mins if from frozen), then turn over and bake for 15 mins more until dry and golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Will keep in an airtight container for one month.
PER BISCOTTO
50 kcals • fat 1g • saturates none • carbs 9g • sugars 6g • fibre none • protein 1g • salt 0.1g
