Oh this is the season for this taste! Pumpkin, maple, salted pumpkin seeds – could life be any tastier! This is 2021 Christmas Treat #3 – Maple Pumpkin Biscotti. I like this recipe because it’s not too sweet, has the right amount of crunch and is amazing with an espresso, tea, glass of white, red, rose wine – well you get the idea right!
Again I made them small, great for allowing you the opportunity to try more Christmas treats on my sweet table. Before baking I brushed the tops with egg white and then sprinkled maple sugar flakes on top. Hunt for maple sugar, I have recently seen it in the grocery stores, but I got mine at Costco. A big bag, I bake a lot! So please look for it. If you are not inclined to, just use some coarse sugar to give it that bakery feel, or else wait until it cools and dip it in some dark or white chocolate (see the “Well Why Not” section below).
The aroma coming from your oven – remember this when you want to sell your house, is incredible! Make these this weekend and enjoy the tastes and smells of the season! You know what’s coming – wash your hands, wear a mask, get vaccinated, socialize responsibly and above all – be safe! As always – enjoy!
Ingredients
315 g all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups plus another ½ – ¾ cups for the counter)
275 g citrus sugar (1 ½ cups) (I used citrus sugar)
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix (or make your own)
1 cup salted pumpkin seeds
3 large eggs
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
150 g pumpkin puree (½’ish cup)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350f – line 2 baking trays with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, whisk all dry ingredients until mixed well, then add the pumpkin seeds – stir and mix
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil, vanilla and pumpkin puree
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until no flour is visible
5. The dough will be heavy and wet – you want it this way
6. Spread the extra flour (½ – ¾ cup) onto a clean surface
7. Divide the batter into 2, 3 or 4 evenly weighted portions and place on the floured surface
8. Coat each piece with some of the flour, pick up a piece, dust off the excess flour and place on the baking sheet – shape into a log, I made mine about 2” wide and ¾ – 1” high – repeat with the remaining dough
9. If desired, brush the top of the logs with an egg white wash (1 egg white and 1 tbsp warm water) and sprinkle with the maple sugar flakes, press lightly to stick to the wash. This can also be done after the first bake
10. Bake at 350f for 25 minutes, until golden and firm in the center – let sit about 5 – 10 minutes until cool enough to handle
11. Reduce the oven to 300f
12. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the logs into ¼” (or however thick you like to cut your biscotti) slices
13. Place back on the trays and bake for a further 10 minutes
14. Remove from the oven and flip over and bake for the last 10 minutes
They will firm up more as they cool
Store in an airtight container or refrigerate until the entertaining starts (with your closest vaxxed friends)
Enjoy!
Well Why Not! (suggestions/substitutions)
– Dip the cooled biscotti edges into melted dark or white chocolate or do a zig zag pattern on top
– Bash the pumpkin seeds in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, with a little bit of pumpkin pie spice mix – sprinkle on top of the chocolate used in the first point
– Add 1 tbsp. maple syrup or maple sugar to the melted chocolate mix well then dip the biscotti into it
– With the remaining (almost full can of) pumpkin puree – use it to make soup, mix some of it with ricotta and spinach and stuff the large pasta shells or make pumpkin bread, muffins, cookies (I have some of these recipes on my blog)
