Saffron Honey Pistachio Biscotti

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"When inspiration strikes but you don't have the time to execute" could be the tagline for my life. I constantly imagine combinations and variations of dishes but am usually so busy I don't have enough consecutive hours to accomplish anything. When I do find those glorious hours I try to make at least three different things so I can feel moderately productive. I found a string of hours this past weekend and finally made some biscotti I wanted to try out since the spring. My base comes from Epicurious but the flavor is all my own. 

How did I get here? An abundance of saffron (who says such things?) One of the most delicate and expensive spices on the market and I have too much? I'd done enough stews calling for saffron that I had extra and wanted to explore the spice's sweeter side. Plucked from thousands of croci to make just one ounce, saffron encompasses both savory and floral notes. Don't ask how I got there but I some how figured saffron would go well with pistachios, honey and a bit of garam masala. The garam masala is not as much of a wild card as you think. It's base is pepper and pepper actually comes from a fruit so it ends up pairing well with honey and saffron. 

Here's hoping I don't have to wait too long until I have time for my next exciting inspiration. Until the next dish, ciao!

Ingredients

3 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/3 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup sugar

10 tablespoons butter, melted

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup (heaping) chopped pistachios (raw or roasted is fine)

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped saffron

2 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon garam masala 

  1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract, honey, saffron and garam masala in large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in pistachios.
  2. Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer both logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing apart.
  3. Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 30 minutes. Cool logs completely on sheet on rack, about 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
  4. Transfer logs to work surface; discard parchment paper. Using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)