Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti

and a heart-shaped miniature book

Hello,

Heart-shaped sugar cookies (recipe) are a tradition in our house for Valentine’s Day. At one time, I used a cake decorator to add curlicues of light pink icing, but now, just the simple cookie seems sufficient. The teacup in the picture is part of a set brought home by my Uncle Glenn, who was stationed in England during the Second World War. I have passed the teacups on to cousins, but I still have some small dessert plates. The Kalamazoo Book Arts Center hosts an accordion book exhibit every year with participants from around the world. The one this year opens on February 7, and you can check out the beautifully photographed entries for this year and the past several years by clicking on the link. They also offer classes in papermaking and bookbinding; if I lived in Kalamazoo, I would sign up for some of them. My miniature accordion book featuring the sugar cookie recipe was included in 2022.

An accordion book provides a creative format for displaying art or sharing information. The folded paper becomes three-dimensional and an art form you can hold in your hand versus a piece of framed art hung on the wall, not to be touched. Children enjoy making them, and all different types of art-making can be incorporated. They are a perfect vehicle for showcasing everything from printmaking to needlework. When in an artistic rut, put away the materials you would typically use, fold a strip of sturdy paper into an accordion, and collage both sides with whatever strikes your fancy. I have a box of decorative scraps of paper, ribbon, abandoned drawings, and monoprints waiting to be cut apart and reassembled as a book. I had forgotten about my accordion book pictured below, made from gelatin prints, until I rediscovered it on my Pinterest page!

Cranberry-pistachio biscotti may not be the most decadent dessert for Valentine’s Day, but they are always a welcome pick-me-up with a hot beverage on a cold February afternoon. This recipe is from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook, which I picked up at a library book sale. It doesn’t look as if the original owner even cracked the cover.

Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. boiling water

3 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

4 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg lightly beaten

2 t. vanilla

1/2 c. shelled pistachios, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place cranberries in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes until they are plump. Drain, and set aside.

Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar on medium for about 2 minutes until it is light and fluffy. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low until combined. Mix in cranberries and pistachios.

Place dough on a lightly floured board; divide in half. Shape each half into a 16 x 2-inch log and transfer to the baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Flatten the logs slightly with the palm of your hand. Brush the beaten egg over the surface and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until logs are firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. Transfer logs on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 300 degrees.

Place logs on a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to cut the logs crosswise on a diagonal into 1/2-inch slices. Place a wire rack on a large-rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices on the rack. Bake for about 30 minutes, until firm. Let cool on the rack after removing from the oven.

Yield: 36

I’ve left myself a note to increase the amount of cranberries the next time I bake and perhaps try hazelnuts instead of pistachios.

Accordion book using pressed flowers and leaves. Vicki Smith

The heart-shaped book is available at my Etsy shop.

Thanks for reading!

Click the little heart if you are so inclined. Happy Valentine's Day!

Vicki