It’s my birthday week! Okay, I don’t really celebrate all week, but I do get excited for my birthday. It’s not about presents but about connecting with people. Much like Thanksgiving or Christmas, when you hear from friends and family, who are near and far, so do you on your big day.
Although if it is my birthday week, I should figure on foods that I like, and strawberries are top of the list. What’s great about this recipe is that the strawberries are freeze-dried. If you’re craving a strawberry-centric treat in the middle of winter (or anytime you can’t get fresh strawberries), this is the recipe you need.
The original post from June 2018
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 have 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 had 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.
Bring on the strawberries
The first two batches contained 1-1/4 cups of strawberries. While the biscotti were sweet, the strawberry flavor wasn’t as strong as I wanted. This discovery surprised me, 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. You can find them 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.
