Candied Ginger, Lemon and Poppy Seed Biscotti

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Candied Ginger, Lemon and Poppy Seed Biscotti, with a citrus tangy scent and studded with crunchy poppy seeds. A perfect sweet and tender indulgent to be enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee.

Biscotti are absolutely hands down my favorite cookies. I am always on the look out for new flavor combinations and I must say that although this recipe is a less traditional Italian biscotti, the lemon paired with crystallized ginger work so well together. The lemon lends a nice tang while the ginger adds a lovely zing to the biscotti.

These biscotti are not the rock hard variety that will necessitate a visit to the dentist with your tooth sheepishly in hand 🙂 They have a much more soft and tender bite. If you are looking for a cookie that is not over the top sweet, then this recipe is for you.

Although crystallized ginger can be enjoyed on its’ own as a snack, it is simply wonderful in baked goods. When purchasing crystallized ginger, look for the soft and tender baby ginger which has a perfect balance of spiciness and sweetness and is moist and chewy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup liquid honey
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Glaze:

1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp finely grated lemon peel
3 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F* (160*C)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, honey and lemon zest in a large bowl and beat together until well combined. Beat in the ginger and vanilla. Next beat in the eggs one at a time.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and the salt. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 2 additions just until combined.

Next divide the dough in half. Lightly flour your counter and roll each half into a 12 inch log. Place the logs 2 inches apart on your prepared cookie sheet. Gently press down on the logs to flatten just a little bit.

Place in the preheated oven until lightly golden for 30 minutes. The top should be just firm to the touch. Place the cookie sheet on a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 300*F (150*C)

Transfer the logs onto a cutting board. Use a well sharpened knife to slice the logs at a diagonal into about 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices upright back onto the baking sheet and return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Glaze: In a small bowl whisk together the icing sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Brush the icing over the cooled biscotti and let it set for about 30 minutes.