Best Recipes Ever - Cranberry Pistachio Biscuits

These biscuits start with our Cranberry Pistachio Biscuit Mix, which can be packaged in stackable metal canisters and makes a wonderful hostess gift. Just tie a ribbon around the canisters and print out and attach our Cranberry Pistachio Biscuit recipe tag.

Ingredients:

Cranberry Pistachio Biscuit Mix
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar
2-1/2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) dried cranberries
1 cup (250 mL) shelled pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped

Cranberry Pistachio Biscuits
1/2 cup (125 mL) cold butter, cubed
1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon rind
Topping:
1 egg
1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar

Preparation:

Cranberry Pistachio Biscuit Mix
In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Package flour mixture separately from cranberries and pistachios.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscuits
Pour flour mixture from Cranberry Pistachio Biscuit Mix into bowl; using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs. Stir in cranberries and pistachios from mix.

In separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and lemon rind. Pour over flour mixture and stir with fork to form soft, slightly sticky ragged dough.

On floured surface, press dough into ball; knead gently 10 times. Pat into 10- x 7-inch (25 x 18 cm) rectangle; cut into 12 squares. Place on parchment paper-lined or floured rimless baking sheet. Lightly beat egg; brush over tops. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in centre of 400°F (200°C) oven until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Tags: baking powder, baking soda, butter, dried cranberries, eggs, flour, lemons, salt, shelled pistachio nuts, sugar