Lemon Coconut Biscotti

If you are not watching The Great British Baking Show on PBS, you are missing out. Seriously, your life can’t possibly be complete. This show is hilarious, heart warming, tense, funny, educational and wonderful all wrapped in one! In fact, go stream the first two seasons on Netflix then come back and read the rest. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Hello again! Can we please talk about how funny Sue and Mel are? And isn’t Mary Berry just the best! I want to invite her over for tea and pick her brain on all things baking. Then there’s Paul Hollywood. He seems tough and definitely tells it like it is but how awesome to have him judge your baking and give feedback. I just really wish I could go cook in the tent for a weekend!

Season 3 started a few weeks ago and my mom and I are big fans. I’ll usually go home and do laundry at some point during the weekend and watch the latest episode with my mom. We’re hooked! As you know (because you just binged watched the first two seasons), each episode has a theme and three challenges. Recently, they had a biscuit themed episode and for one of the challenges they had to make biscotti.

I’ve never had biscotti before. Honestly, I was afraid of cracking a tooth because it seemed so dry and hard. I also didn’t used to be a big coffee drinker so I never had a reason to buy biscotti with my coffee. After this episode, however, I was inspired! I channeled my inner British Baking Show contestant dreams and made Lemon Coconut Biscotti, adapted from these Lemon Almond Biscotti from King Arthur Flour. I even talked through the process in my head as I made them and pretended I was on the show… Don’t judge, I know you’d do the same. I was so pleasantly surprised with how they turned out, I made a second batch the next night to take on our family vacation. These are so easy to make, seriously, so easy! And so good! I even forgot to photograph them because I was too excited with how they turned out. I can’t wait to make another batch soon!

And in case you were wondering, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry loved them in my pretend show. I was definitely star baker that week…

-Kelly

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. coconut extract
• rind of one lemon
• juice from two lemons
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• shredded coconut (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour.
2. Combine butter, sugar, salt, lemon rind, coconut extract and baking powder in mixer and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and lemon juice.
3. On low speed, add flour and mix until dough forms. It will be sticky, don’t worry!
4. Transfer dough to floured parchment paper and shape into a log, about 3/4″ thick.
5. Bake for 25 minutes and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325 degrees.
6. Using a wet paper towel (or spray bottle), dampen biscotti and cut evenly into 1/2″ slices. Bake for an additional 30-35 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding glaze.

For the glaze: To toast coconut, spread coconut on baking pan and bake for about 10 minutes in 400 degree oven. Remove and cool completely. In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, the juice of one lemon and a splash of milk. Whisk until well combined. (Add more milk if glaze is too thick.) Dip the biscotti, curved side down, into glaze. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and enjoy!