Dunk these tasty morsels in white wine or have them with coffee. You can easily vary them with the different crystallised or dried summer fruits.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup crystallised or dried strawberries
• ¼ cup strawberry eau de vie or berry fruit juice
• ¾ cup whole unblanched almonds, toasted
• 125 grams butter, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2¼ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Lightly grease 1-2 baking trays or line with baking paper.
2. Cut the strawberries in half. In a small saucepan, bring the strawberry eau de vie or berry fruit juice to scalding point. Add the strawberries and set aside for 10 minutes or until cool.
3. Chop the almonds into small chunky pieces.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
5. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth.
6. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together and stir into the creamed mixture with the almonds, strawberries and soaking liquid. Stir only until combined.
7. Turn onto a lightly floured bench. Divide the mixture in half and roll each portion out to a sausage about 3cm in diameter and the length of the baking tray.
8. Place on the prpared trays about 5cm apart. Gently flatten the top of both rolls.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until they are lightly browned and firm to the touch.
10. Cool the rolls on a cake rack for 10 minutes then slice them diagonally into ½cm wide slices.
11. Place the slices back on the tray and return the biscotti to the oven for a further 7-8 minutes until lightly coloured. Turn them over and cook a further 5 minutes.
12. Cool on a cake rack. Store in an airtight container.

Cooks Tips

If you are unable to get the crystallised or dried strawberries use dried apricots, dates, cherries, pawpaw or mango.