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Spiced Fig and Walnut Biscotti

This fig & walnut biscotti is packed with warm baking spices and orange zest, absolutely bursting with flavor. It's super easy to make (just takes time) and can be stored up to two weeks, a perfect treat to have on hand or a gift to share or send!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time55 minutes
Additional Time40 minutes
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes
Course: Breakfast Goodies

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of walnut pieces
  • 1 cup of dried Turkish or Calimyrna figs quartered (see notes)
  • 3/4 stick 6 tablespoons or 3 ounces of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup of granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
  • 6 tablespoons of dark brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs room temp if possible
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • Grated zest of 1/2 a large orange or 1 small
  • 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 1 egg white lightly beaten

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Allow the walnuts to cool completely.  You can turn the oven off for a bit if you'd like.
  • Place the walnuts and quartered dried figs in a food processor and pulse until they are quite fine (like gravel, see pic).
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
  • Add the 2 eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula occasionally. Then mix in the vanilla and the orange zest.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix to form a somewhat firm dough. Add the ground walnuts and figs and beat until thoroughly combined.
  • Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 35-40 minutes, or until good and firm.  At some point, turn the oven back on to 325 F if you turned it off.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  On a floured board or your counter, use your palms to roll the dough into a pretty thin log that's the length of the baking sheet (or you can do it directly on the parchment paper).  Place the dough log on the baking sheet.
  • In a small bowl, beat the egg white with a fork until frothy. Using a pastry brush, glaze the log with some egg white and sprinkle it with granulated sugar.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the log is lightly golden brown, firm to the touch and just beginning to crack slightly.
  • Allow the log to cool on the cookie sheet until cool to the touch, about 40 minutes (it's simplest to keep the oven on). With a serrated knife, slice the biscotti, slightly at an angle, into 1/2-inch slices.
  • Lay the slices on the cookie sheet in single layer (you'll probably need a second baking sheet) and return the biscotti to the oven.  Cook for 15-20 minutes and flip over to the other side, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.  You want the biscotti toasted and crisp on each side, not soggy or soft anywhere.
  • Store the biscotti in an airtight container. They will keep up to about 2 weeks.

Notes

  1. If you can't find Turkish or Calimyrna figs, you can use regular dried figs. I got mine on Amazon.