Biscotti with almonds and dried cherries

Ingredients:

• 110 g of butter at room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs, plus 1 egg white
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup toasted whole almonds, hulled
• 3/4 cup dried cherries
• 2 tbsp. l. turbinado sugar
• Chocolate glaze optional, see recipe below
• 48 mini pretzels, optional
• Red and green sprinkles or candy crumbs, optional

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract.
3. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Once the ingredients are combined, fold in the almonds and dried cherries.
4. Divide the dough in half and roll into two logs. If the dough is sticky, dust it with flour. The logs should be the same length as the pan. Beat the egg whites with a little water. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with egg white and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Place on a baking sheet, spacing them at least 7-8 cm apart. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Place each log on a cutting board and slice at an angle into 2 cm thick pieces. Place the biscotti on a baking sheet and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Chocolate glaze:
   
   2 cups chopped dark chocolate bar
   
   Fill a saucepan with 2.5 cm of water and bring to a boil. Place the chocolate in a large metal or heatproof glass bowl and place it in the saucepan with simmering water. Be careful not to let the bowl touch the surface of the simmering water. Stir the chocolate until it is almost completely melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and continue stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. This process should take no more than 5-10 minutes.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip each cookie or pretzel halfway into chocolate, then into sprinkles or candy crumbs. Place each piece on the lined baking sheet to allow the chocolate to set. Store the cookies in a cool place in an airtight container. Try not to eat them all at once.
   
   Culinary advice: If you're making biscotti for a holiday, try coating them in white chocolate.