Banana Walnut Biscotti

I always seem be on the lookout for a new Biscotti recipe and recently tried a recipe for Dark Chocolate Ginger Biscotti which have now become the favourite of a certain ginger lover that I know.

These Biscotti are studded with pieces of candied ginger and have a deep chocolate flavour that would certainly satisfy any chocolate lover.

Not being too fond of ginger myself I went searching for another new recipe to try out and came across this Banana Bread Biscotti recipe.  It looked quite promising and I was happy to see very ripe banana as an ingredient which piqued my interest.

One can never have too many ripe banana recipes and although they usually end up in Banana Bread or Banana Muffins I occasionally find myself with one very lonely very ripe banana which isn’t enough for either recipe.

I had a few reservations about this recipe but felt compelled to try it out nevertheless.  After making the first batch and following the recipe exactly I decided to make a few small changes and give it another try.

This is not to say that the first batch hasn’t almost disappeared from the cookie jar. By substituting the one tablespoon of oil called for in the recipe with two tablespoons of soft butter the Biscotti have a little more richness that I found lacking in the original recipe.

The next time I make these I will sneak in a third tablespoon of butter.

I also found the temperature for the second baking of the sliced Biscotti a little low at 275 degrees F. which didn’t allow those lovely golden edges to develop, I therefore left the oven temperature the same for the second baking and had better results.

Having already made at least two changes in the recipe it was easy to take the liberty of making a third.  The name Banana Bread Biscotti gives the idea that they are soft and moist like any banana bread.  On the contrary, they are crisp, crunchy, not too sweet little slices of deliciousness just waiting to be dunked into a hot cup of café latte!

I have renamed the recipe Banana Walnut Biscotti and added it to my ever growing Biscotti recipe file.

Banana Walnut Biscotti

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 banana)
1 tablespoon canola oil (or 2 to 3 tablespoons soft butter)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine banana, oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix until well blended.
3. Add the flour mixture and walnuts to the banana mixture and stir just until combined.
4. Divide the mixture in half and shape each half into an 10 inch log.
5. Place the logs about 4 inches apart on a cookie sheet that has been greased or lined with parchment. Press the logs into two rectangles about 3 inches across.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until firm and cracked on top. Transfer the logs to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
7. Place logs on a cutting board, trim the ends and using a sharp, serrated knife, cut each diagonally into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slices. Place biscotti cut side down on the cookie sheet. Return them to the oven (still at 350 degrees F.) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip them over and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
8. Makes 2 dozen.

 

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Walnuts can be replaced with an equal amount of chocolate chips in which case changes the name of the recipe again.  
• Make sure to flatten the logs of dough as directed in the recipe since these biscotti do not spread much while baking.
• Dipping one end of the biscotti into melted chocolate takes them to another level.