Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 280 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking powder
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground cloves
- 2 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients & Mix-ins
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 55 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 orange zest
- 100 g whole almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
Lemon Moscato Syllabub
- 240 ml heavy cream, cold
- 60 ml moscato wine, cold
- 40 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 lemon zest
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 19 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 64 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 32 mg
- Potassium
- 65 mg
- Calcium
- 38 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 16 mg
- Phosphorus
- 52 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 64 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 8 mcg
- Water
- 14 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and sea salt until well combined.
In a separate large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest until pale and homogeneous.
Gradually fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Fold in the chopped almonds just before the flour is fully incorporated. The dough will be slightly sticky.
Divide the dough in half. With lightly floured hands, shape each half into a log approximately 25 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide on the prepared baking sheet. Leave space between them as they will spread.
Bake the logs at 175°C (350°F) for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the logs cool for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F).
Using a serrated knife, slice the cooled logs on a slight diagonal into 1.5 centimeter thick slices. Use a gentle sawing motion to prevent crumbling.
Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 150°C (300°F), flipping the slices halfway through the baking time, until they are thoroughly dry and crisp.
Transfer the baked biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely. They will continue to harden as they cool.
To prepare the syllabub, combine the cold heavy cream, Moscato wine, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl.
Whip the syllabub mixture using a hand mixer or whisk until soft, billowy peaks form. Do not over-whip. Serve immediately alongside the cooled biscotti for dipping.
Chef's Notes
- A sharp serrated bread knife is absolutely essential for achieving clean cuts. Let the knife do the work rather than applying downward pressure.
- For the deepest flavor profile, toast the almonds for 7-10 minutes at 175°C (350°F) and let them cool completely before adding them to the dough.
- Syllabub can be prepped up to 2 hours in advance and held in the refrigerator. The alcohol and acid may cause slight weeping over time; a quick gentle whisk will reincorporate it.
- If your dough feels unmanageably sticky when shaping the logs, dampen your hands with cold water rather than adding extra flour, which can make the biscotti tough.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Syllabub must be refrigerated and may need re-whipping if it separates.
Freezer: 3 months — Baked biscotti freeze exceptionally well in an airtight container.
Troubleshooting
Biscotti shatter or crumble when slicing
Cause: Dough was baked too long during the first phase or cut while too hot using a dull knife
Fix: Cannot be fixed once shattered, but broken pieces can be baked into sweet croutons.
Prevention: Ensure logs are firm but not rock-hard after the first bake, cool for exactly 15 minutes, and strictly use a sharp serrated knife with a sawing motion.
Syllabub curdles or splits
Cause: The cream was over-whipped or the acidic lemon juice reacted aggressively with warm cream
Fix: Gently fold in an extra tablespoon of cold, unwhipped heavy cream to smooth out the texture.
Prevention: Keep heavy cream exceptionally cold and stop whisking as soon as soft peaks form.
Cultural Context
Biscotti, derived from the Latin 'biscoctus' meaning twice-baked, are classic Italian cookies designed for dunking into sweet wine or coffee. Syllabub is a historic British dessert dating back to the 16th century, originally created by milking a cow directly into a bowl of cider or wine to create a frothy cap. This recipe marries the crunchy Italian staple with the bright, creamy British whip, utilizing the traditional dipping nature of biscotti to scoop up the luscious syllabub.
