Pistachio Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti

Pistachio Cranberry White Chocolate  Biscotti.

Now, don't these look festive? These elegant little twice baked cookies are made to dip in your tea, coffee or even a glass of wine; such a perfect little holiday treat when entertaining or drop some into clear cellophane bags, tied with a Christmas ribbon to give as gifts that anyone would be very happy to receive. Gifts of homemade treats are a family tradition at our house, so bake up some of these scrumptious biscotti for the folks on your Christmas list.

Sift together ans set aside:

• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Cream together very well until light and fluffy:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract

Beat in, one at a time, beating well after each addition:

• 3 eggs

Fold in the dry ingredients, just until the flour is incorporated. Work the dough as little as possible for the lightest biscotti. In the final few turns of  folding in the flour, just when it's almost completely incorporated, add:

• 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
• 1 cup lightly toasted, unsalted pistachio nuts

Form the dough into two 3 inch wide logs and place 6 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove the biscotti from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before cutting the biscotti on a diagonal into ¾ of an inch thick slices.

Place the biscotti back on the parchment lined cookie sheet and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F. Bake for an additional 15 minutes before turning the cookies over and baking for an additional 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a double boiler melt:

• 2 cups white chocolate chips

Dip one side of the biscotti into the chocolate and lay them on parchment paper until the chocolate cools and hardens.