313gall purpose flour(2⅔ cups, plus more for shaping)
287ggranulated sugar(1½ cups)
2tspbaking powder
¾tspsalt
100gpumpkin seeds(shells removed)
3large eggs
3tbspEVOO
1tspvanilla extract
130gpumpkin puree(½ cup)
1tbspground cinnamon
¾tspground ginger
¾tspnutmeg(freshly grated is best!)
½tspground allspice
½tspground cloves
Instructions
Make the batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in the large mixing bowl.
Mix in the pumpkin seeds.
Whisk together the wet ingredients in the medium mixing bowl, including the sugar.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
The batter will be wet, so you need to work quickly through the next steps to form the logs and get them into the oven.
Shape the logs
Make sure the oven is pre-heated before you start shaping the logs. They will spread out as they sit on the sheet pans, so you want to get them into the oven as quick as possible. You'll need two racks in the oven, so space them out accordingly.
Prep two half sheet pans (or other cookie sheets) by lining with parchment paper.
Prep a clean work surface (counter, pastry mat, etc), and then generously cover with flour.
Place the bowl with the batter on the kitchen scale and zero it out.
You can either make 3 large logs (~12oz each) or 7 smaller logs (~5oz each).
For each log, weigh out the batter, and plop it onto the floured work surface. Leave working space around each mound of batter, but you can plop out more than one at a time if your workspace allows.
Using the bench scraper, collect some flour between your hand and the scraper, and generously dust it over the first mound of batter until it is thoroughly covered.
Working quickly with the bench scraper in one hand and using your other hand as a balance, scoop the batter into a longer narrow log, and transfer to the parchment paper on the sheet pan. You can finish shaping once on the pan - the logs should be about 2 inches wide, and ~ 8 inches long for the short logs, or 12 inches long for the larger logs. You can estimate this, as they will change size while baking! Separate the logs by 2-3 inches on the sheet pan. For the larger logs, you can fit 2 side by side going the length of the pan. For the shorter logs, you can fit 4 side by side with the tip/tail of the log spanning the short width of the sheet pan.
If desired, brush the top of the logs with a well-whisked egg white, and sprinkle with a little sugar. This will result in a shiny finish on the biscotti.
Transfer the first pan to the oven as soon as the logs are formed.
Shape the remaining logs, and transfer the second pan to the oven, noting the time difference.
Bake at 350°F for ~25 minutes, until golden and firm in the center. You don't want the logs hard and crispy, but firm so that if you push your finger in the center of the log there is some resistance.
Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Cut and bake the biscotti
Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
Once the logs have cooled so you can handle them, slice them on an angle, into about 1 inch wide slices. This is what forms the classic biscotti cookie shape. You can modify the length of the cookies by the angle that you cut the log on.
Turn the slices cut side down and return to the parchment paper.
Bake at 300°F for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and flip the bisotti over.
Return to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes.
The biscotti should turn a light golden brown, and offer resistance in the center, but not be totally firm/crisp. If needed, cook a little longer, keeping an eye so they don't get too dark in color, and flipping back over as needed to ensure even baking.
You can bake the biscotti more or less, depending on how crisp and crunchy you like it!
Let the biscotti cool, and then enjoy! We love this biscotti dipped in our morning or afternoon coffee. It is very reminiscent of pumpkin pie after it is softened in the coffee for a moment :)
Notes
After the first baking of the logs, you can let the logs cool, then wrap them in saran wrap and freeze them for up to 3 months. Just pull them out to thaw for a couple hours before proceeding with the slicing and second baking steps. This is a great way to get ahead with your holiday baking!Biscotti will keep for up to 10 days in a sealed container. It will last longer, but may start to loose some freshness.