“Biscotti is such an Italian treat. It seems that every Italian household has a jar of biscotti ready for dunking in the espresso. One cousin double bakes the ones for dunking and leaves some softer after a single bake for the children’s treats. Each family has a favorite recipe. We always look forward to the ones our daughter in law Karen makes.
This recipe from the Vintage House is easy and the cookies keep for several weeks in air tight container or months in the freezer. Make them ahead for the holidays!” – Merrill
Click here to view wine pairing tips with this recipe.
Messina Hof Pecan Biscotti
as prepared by Chef Chris Shepley of The Vintage House Restaurant at Messina Hof Winery
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Messina Hof Solera Sherry
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pecan pieces toasted and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cream the butter, shortening and sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl each time
- Add the vanilla and Solera Sherry
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl
- Add the dry ingredients in in two batches until well mixed
- Transfer the dough to a table and divide the dough into three equal pieces
- Shape each piece into a log about 10” in length
- Flatten slightly
- Bake the logs at 300 degrees for 20 minutes in a convection oven (350 for 30-35 in conventional)
- Cool the log and slice them in 1” thick slices once cool
- Now lower the oven temperature 50 degrees and bake on the biscotti a second time 20 minutes on each side turning the biscotti over after the first 20 minutes
- Once cooled dip in chocolate laced with MH port
Notes
Executive Chef Chris Shepley of The Vintage House Restaurant features vineyard cuisine and locally grown fresh from the garden produce in his recipes. He conducts Cooking Parties with the Chef on the third Sunday of each month at Messina Hof Winery.