December is almost here with all the holidays that people celebrate! During this time I will focus on events at wineries, charities and gift ideas and special recipes that may just be what you need for the holidays! Check out this recipe for Biscotti. The name and list of ingredients alone make this treat mouthwatering. The recipe is from Chinook winery in Prosser, Washington.

Cheers, Kathy

Walnut & Tangerine Biscotti

Nothing smells better than baked goods around the holiday season. We grow our own fresh walnuts at Chinook, and we share them with our friends as delicious Biscotti.

Ingredients

¾ cup walnuts, toasted & chopped*
8 Tbsp. Tillamook butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. Cognac, your favorite brand
Zest from the rind of one tangerine or satsuma
2 cups plus 2-4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½  teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

*Toast the walnuts in a baking pan for 10 minutes, till fragrant. Let cool and chop coarsely.

Directions

1. Cream the butter w/ sugar in a large bowl.
2. Beat eggs and mix at high speed until fluffy.
3. Turn off mixer and add vanilla, cognac, baking powder, salt & zest to egg-butter mixture.
4. Stir in 1 cup of flour, then add chopped nuts & then the remainder of the flour. Stir just until combined. (We use a Kitchenaid mixer with paddle attachment; use a large spatula to transfer dough to a flat bowl; cover with saran & refrigerate 4 hrs. or overnight).
5. On a lightly floured surface (or with floured hands) roll dough into cylinders ca. 1 ½ inches wide and 12 inches long.
6. Flatten cylinders slightly, place on a baking sheet about 2 ½ inches apart and bake for about 25 minutes until lightly browned on top.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on a baking rack.
8. Meanwhile increase oven temp. to 360-375 degrees F.
9. Carefully remove the cylinders to a cutting board. Slice the cookies about ½ inch wide on the diagonal.
10. Return them to the baking sheet, the cut surfaces down. Bake for an additional 8 minutes, until tops are lightly browned. Turn over cookies and bake reverse side(s).

Let cool and store in an airtight container. Serve & dip in in your favorite CHINOOK wine (or caffe latte).

Makes approximately 2 dozen biscotti.

Recipe provided by Chinook Wines in Prosser, Washington