Name: Christmas biscotti will become everyone’s favourite afternoon tea bickie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 80 min

Make a sleigh-load of these crispy Italian-inspired goodies, packed with cardamom and pistachios. Keep these Christmas biscotti on hand to dunk into your coffee or tea during the holiday season.

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 free-range eggs

2 1/4 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

3/4 cup pistachio kernels

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Coating

150g white chocolate melts

2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Stir in flour, baking powder, zest, cardamom and whole pistachios.

Step 2

Divide dough into two logs about 20cm long x 3cm high, then flatten slightly. Lightly brush with egg yolk. Bake for 35–40 minutes, swapping tray positions halfway through cooking. Set aside on trays for 10 minutes to cool slightly.

Step 3

Use a serrated knife to cut logs into 1cm-thick slices. Arrange the slices, in a single layer, on two baking trays. Bake for 20 minutes, swapping trays halfway through cooking. Set aside to cool completely on trays.

Step 4

In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, melt chocolate until smooth. Dip each biscotti halfway into white chocolate. Sprinkle with pistachios and lemon zest. Set aside until chocolate has set.

Cook’s tip

Make sure you use whole pistachios in the dough – this gives you a bright cross-section of green throughout the sliced biscotti.

christmas biscotti laid out on red sparkly background with drizlle of white chocolate

Food editor Sarah Murphy Food editor

Sarah began her career in the Australian food media industry 14 years ago. She is now the Food Editor for Better Homes and Gardens, Woman’s Day and Take 5 and loves creating clever and achievable recipes for readers (that will still impress too!)

Ismat Awan

Ismat Awan trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney and Paris and has worked in celebrated kitchens including Pierre Hermé in Paris and Rockpool on George in Sydney. With over 10 years in the food industry, she is now a Sydney-based creative food consultant and recipe developer, drawing on her global experiences—from Timor-Leste to France and Switzerland—to bring a love of spice and playful twists to family favourites, showcased in this issue’s nostalgic vintage baking and Christmas cookie features.