Giving edible gifts at Christmas is a winner I say! Some ideas take some forethought, like preserved lemons, fruit pastes, chutneys and sauerkraut, but there’s plenty of other ideas that you can whip up over a day or weekend right before the big day. Think shortbreads, flavoured oils, scented salts or sugar meringues, spiced nuts, dukkah, gingerbread loaf, or one of my favourites, biscotti.  

Jars, bottles and small wooden or cardboard boxes can all be found in second hand shops, as can ribbon, wool, cotton etc to make them all look pretty. Tie some rosemary or bay leaves to jars and bottles for a festive look or decorate boxes with potato and paint stamps. Get creative!   

Pistachio and cranberry biscotti   

Homemade biscotti makes for a wonderful Christmas gift as it keeps well (so can be made ahead) and it’s one of those things that’s so much better than the store-bought variety.   

Makes about 30   

Ingredients 

• 3 medium sized eggs, at room temperature  
• ½ cup olive oil (can use 5 tbsps. butter)   
• ½ tsp orange zest  
• 2 ¼ cups plain flour  
• 1 tsp baking powder  
• ½ tsp salt  
• ½ cup caster sugar   
• ½ cup brown sugar  
• ½ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped   
• ½ cup shelled pistachios  
• ¼ cup dried cranberries   

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C and line a baking tray with baking paper.    
2. In a large bowl, lightly whisk eggs, olive oil, and orange zest. Add flour, baking powder, salt and sugars and stir until just incorporated.  
3. Fold in almonds, pistachios and cranberries and mix until combined.
4. Divide dough into half. Place each half on lined tray and with damp fingers, shape into a log shape about 4cm x 30cm. Flatten slightly.   
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown in colour and hard on the outside but not all the way through. Let cool and use a serrated knife, slice at an angle about 1.5cm thick.   
6. Place slices back on the tray and bake for 12-16 minutes more, until firm. They will firm up more as they cool.  
7. Place on a wire rack to cool before filling jars with them as presents.   

Nici's Notes:   

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 

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