Pumpkin Spice Biscotti

Story and photographs by Renée Kohlman

There’s nothing like the crunch of fallen leaves and the wistful song of geese heading south, accompanied by a mug of something warm to drink. The cooler weather means there’s no excuse not to bake something sweet to accompany the warm coffee/ tea/hot chocolate, and soothe that subtle melancholy that seeps into my soul every autumn. The geese get me every time. Everywhere you look, pumpkin spice is having its moment, or should I say, season. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Those warm spices are terrifically cozy, and feel like a warm hug from the inside out. I paired them with pumpkin purée in crunchy biscotti, and the results yielded a delicious cookie that tastes great on its own or drizzled/dunked with white chocolate and topped with toasted pecans.

Biscotti is perfect for this time of year, when one wants something sturdy to dunk into a hot coffee, and honestly, it’s just comforting to have a stash of homemade cookies in the house. If you’ve never made this twice-baked cookie before, you’re in luck. You don’t need any fancy equipment, and the technique is pretty straightforward. Plus, it’s a cookie steeped in history, which is always fun.

The word biscotti is derived from the Latin word biscoctus meaning twice baked or cooked: The dough is formed into logs, baked, cooled slightly, sliced, then baked again. The biscotti we nibble on in cafés (or the comfort of our own home) has humble origins. The first biscotti, often referred to as Biscotti di Prato, were created in 14th century Tuscany in the city of Prato and were made from almonds, as they were abundant in the region. The second baking drew moisture out of the cookie, rendering them hard, sturdy, and notably, resistant to mould. Because they could be reliably stored for great lengths of time, biscotti soon became a favoured provision, especially for sailors, including the infamous Christopher Columbus. Biscotti continued to flourish throughout Italy, with various regions coming up with their own specialties from local ingredients such as pistachios, sesame seeds, anise seed, and orange.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that biscotti skyrocketed to popularity in North America. Coffee culture was also booming, and if you’re of a particular vintage you’ll no doubt recall the glass canister of biscotti perched on the counter right next to the barista. Biscotti were everywhere: hip cafes, high-end Italian restaurants, and the coffee cart on the corner. Some food writers even called biscotti the “cookie of the 1990s”, but to me, they are timeless. Various combinations abound: lemon and pistachio, chocolate and almond, rum and raisin, cranberry and white chocolate. The possibilities are endless, and like a good cookie always is, oh so satisfying.

Pumpkin Spice Biscotti

Makes approximately 18-20 biscotti

These crunchy biscotti are flavoured with warm spices, and have the bright golden hue of an October pumpkin. Topping with white chocolate and toasted pecans is optional, but highly recommended.

½ cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp salt

½ cup (125 mL) pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 large egg

½ tsp (2 mL) pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg white, beaten

½ cup chopped white chocolate

¼ cup finely chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt until smooth and creamy. Beat in the pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the flour, stirring until smooth. The dough will be sticky.

3. Divide the dough in half and shape each half on the baking sheet into a rectangle about 20 by 6 cm. A wet spatula or wet bowl scraper works well to pat the dough into shape. Brush the logs with beaten egg white.

4. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake the cookie dough for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325º F.

5. Using a serrated knife, cut the log crosswise into slices 2 cm thick. As you’re slicing, be sure to cut straight up and down, perpendicular to the pan. If you cut unevenly the biscotti may be thicker at the top than the bottom and they’ll topple over during their second bake.

6. Arrange the biscotti on the baking sheet (you may want to replace the parchment paper with a fresh sheet) so they’re lying flat on their sides. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each biscotti over, and bake for another 20-25 minutes or so, until they’re starting to turn golden brown around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

7. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave or over a double boiler. Drizzle or dip the biscotti and top with toasted pecans. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or freeze for a few months.