Fig & Pistachio Biscotti

Each clear day is feeling like a gift at the moment, so close am I to having a baby. The nights will become awake time and the days may become about survival rather than sustenance.  The house feels ready, all there is left for me to do is wait and bake. 

My first job years ago was to work for a tiny company called Green & Black's. The offices were in an attic in Waterloo and I think the team was 14 strong on joining and far more by the time I left. I've never quite forgotten those years, being part of an inspiring team, talking chocolate, eating chocolate and being shown how a really successful business rolls. 

Post leaving, I was excited to be asked back and assist creating a cookbook, to try new chocolate ideas, develop treasured recipes and test, test, test along side the very talented Micah Carr-Hill. 

I wrote this biscotti recipe in the book and haven't made it since but this week, seemed like a good moment. 

Try dipping them into sweet wine - it's heaven. 

Pistachio & Fig Chocolate Biscotti 

200g Plain Flour 

50g Cocoa Powder

1.5 tsp baking powder 

pinch of salt

150g caster sugar 

100g whole pistachios, roughly chopped 

125g dried figs, roughly chopped 

2 large eggs 

1/ Preheat the oven to 190C/gas Mark 5. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. 

2/ Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add the sugar, pistachios and dried figs and mix. Gradually, add the eggs to the mixture and combine to make a dough.

3/ Divide the dough into thirds and form into sausage shapes about 20cm x 4cm. Place on the lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. 

4/ Wait until just cool enough to hand and gently cut the loaves on the angle to form 1cm slices (try using a serrated bread knife for this) and return to the baking sheet (fit as many as you can onto the baking sheet or use two). Bake the biscotti for a further 5 minutes on each side.