Although these treats are full of summer flavors, the secret ingredient is freeze-dried fruit. That means you can make Sweet as a Summer Day Strawberry Biscotti all year long.
If I had to choose one fruit as my favorite, it would be strawberries. I love their sweetness and self-contained package. Without thinking, I could eat a pint on my own. Of course, I also like to cook with them. When strawberries aren’t available locally, I sometimes have freeze-dried strawberries in the pantry. Although they aren’t a perfect replacement for fresh, they can work some magic in a baked good or two.
From the wayback time machine
To learn more about this recipe, originally published in June 2018, keep reading.
These biscotti are different than many of my other variations; there is no glaze on them. When I was first tinkering with the idea of this recipe, I wanted to be sure that it produced a sweet treat. I knew that strawberries (most likely freeze-dried) would be the flavor focus, but I also wanted something else to guarantee they tasted like a dessert.
Adding sweetness: there are so many options. I could have used a milk chocolate glaze and presented these as chocolate covered strawberry biscotti, but I already make a Chocolate Coated Cherry Biscotti. I could make a simple powdered sugar glaze, but so many of my biscotti are finished with a glaze, I wanted something different. Then came the idea of using white chocolate chips inside the dough, instead of melted as a glaze. None of my previous recipes have had chocolate inside them; would this work?
On my first day of recipe testing, I focused on the white chocolate. One batch was made with chips on the inside, the other with chips turned into a glaze. Although both versions worked, I decided it was time to make a batch with the chocolate on the inside. However, what I didn’t realize was that I’d have to tweak the amount of freeze-dried strawberries I would use.
The first two batches were made with 1-1/4 cups of strawberries. While the biscotti were sweet, they weren’t overwhelmingly strawberry flavored. I was surprised by this discovery, as most of my recipes have about a cup of dried fruit in them. I hadn’t considered that I was using freeze-dried, instead of just plain dried, fruit.
Onto the second round of recipe testing I nearly doubled the amount of freeze-dried strawberries and kept the same amount of white chocolate chips. This produced a delightfully sweet cookie that also tasted like strawberries. Plus, this batch was baked on the day that my eldest was heading off on a two-week trip. What’s a better way to start your journey than with homemade treats from Mom that will keep well in your backpack?
If you’re wondering where you’ll find freeze-dried strawberries, don’t stress. They can be found in most grocery stores near the dried fruit. If not located there, do a quick online search. You’re bound to find more options than you need.
In summation
If you prefer a berry biscotti with white chocolate on the outside, instead of inside, give these Lemon & Blueberry Biscotti with White Chocolate Glaze a try. However, I’d recommend giving this recipe a try first. You might be delightfully surprised with how tasty these Sweet as a Summer Day Strawberry Biscotti are.
Sweet as a Summer Day Strawberry Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Combine butter and sugar in stand mixer; mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes.
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Add eggs, one at a time, until combined.
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Add vanilla extract, mixing until blended.
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Add baking powder, salt, and flour, mixing until combined.
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Chop strawberries into a medium dice.
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Add strawberries (and any dust that accumulates on the cutting board) and white chocolate chips, stirring until evenly distributed.
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Divide dough in half.
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Shape each half into 10″ x 4″ rectangle, using floured hands.
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Set each loaf 2″ apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 28 minutes or until the dough is set.
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Leaving the oven on, remove the biscotti loaves and cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet.
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Using a butcher knife, cut the loaves into slices, 3/4″ thick.
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Place slices on baking sheet with the cut sides down; bake for 8 to 9 minutes.
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Turn over slices, and bake for 8 to 9 minutes more.
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Remove biscotti from oven, and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
