Lisa posted this recipe over on the Cooking Forum. I haven't made them yet but intend to this weekend, it really appealed to me. As far as making them circular, I think all you would need to do is cut the log in a straight line instead of on the angle.

Holiday Biscotti Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
Red and green sugar crystals, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

Enjoy Lisa

I've made these in the past and like them quite well.

Chocolate  Walnut Biscotti

This is a favorite Italian cookie. They are perfect for dunking in coffee. This recipe came from Five Brothers A Year of Tuscan Cooking book, 1997. The recipe makes 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

2 cups chopped walnuts
3 oz semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 cups flour
2 teas baking powder
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teas finely grated orange zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts on a cookie sheet; toast about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Melt chocolate and butter together, stir until smooth. Let mixture cool. In a bowl, sift flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly. Gradually add sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add orange zest. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Add nuts. Stir to mix well. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.

On a greased cookie sheet, form into two flattened logs, each about 14 inches x 2 ½ inches. Place 4 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes or until logs are firm when pressed in the center,

Remove from oven. On a cutting board, cut logs crosswise on the diagonal into ½ inch slices. Return to oven, arranging biscotti cut side down on cookie sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until crisp.

These are really good biscotti also.

White Chocolate Cranberry Biscotti

2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups Cranberry Almond Crunch Cereal
3 squares Baker's Premium White Baking Chocolate, chopped
4 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

I made Giada's holiday biscotti last Christmas and they were a hit! The pistachio and cranberries made them look very festive.

Biscotti

1/2 cup, unsalted butter
1 cup, sugar
3 eggs, unbeaten
1/2 teaspoon, vanilla
3 cups, flour
3 teaspoons, baking powder
1/2 teaspoon, anise seed
2 tablespoons, grated lemon peel
1/2 cup, slivered almonds

Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, beating only enough to blend in the eggs thoroughly.
Add vanilla.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and add slowly to creamed mixture.
Stir in lemon peel, anise seed, and nuts and blend well.
Kneed mixture into ball of dough.
Divide dough into 3 parts and shape each part into a long roll about 1 1/2" in diameter.
Place rolls onto greased cookie sheet several inches apart and flatten rolls so that they are more oblong in cross section.
Bake rolls at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and slice rolls crosswise in 3/4-inch slices.
Lay cut side down on cookie sheet, return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Turn cookies on other side and repeat baking for another 15 minutes.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Note: These cookies are very hard but you dip them into coffee, wine or even a bit of brandy. You may also add raisins or currents to the cookie dough. Dried cranberries make for an especially nice Christmas cookie.

Thanks for all these receipes I am gona make some this weekend and will use 2 of them.Jessie

Yes, thanks, everyone.

I've got tons of stuff to make hundreds of them! I can't wait to try some new kinds.

romaona, I don't have any anise seed -- I don't think I've ever used it? Do you think I could just substitute some anise extract? I do like the anise flavoring.

I think I love biscotti so much because I often tend to overcook things...so with biscotti it's not so noticeable when I do. And, even if I do over cook them a little, I find some dipping them in a little choc. (either white or choc) seems to cover all sins!

Thanks again.

Just noticed that Sharon posted Giada's recipe. I made this biscotti last night and it is so easy, pretty, and soooooo good! I didn't dip mine in the white chocolate, tho.

I made booberry's last night too. Again....very good!

{{!gwi}}

Thanks guys, for posting these. It was my first time making biscotti and it will definitely not be my last!

Linda

I too made the Holiday Biscotti thanks to Linda..

We like them very much!

I adore biscotti but I have one BIG problem.

I made the Holiday Biscotti tonight and when slicing with a good serrated knife small outer chunks fell off. I thought about dampening the outer crust to prevent this. Then I thought maybe buttering the log before baking would keep it softer?

Does anyone else have this happen? Any solution?

My old recipe from Sunset in the 70's has been easier to slice neatly. It has more eggs and flour than others.

Actually my Joy of Baking biscottis are pretty much crumble free..I found these crumbled more..Jacques had 2 to eat now:)

I use an electric knife to slice my biscotti logs....don't use it for much else...but it's great for biscotti.
Linda C

I find cutting problems often come when I use a bigger nut or fruit. (So you could cut or chop up the nuts/fruit a little more... Although those larger chunks really do look and taste good).

I also find sometimes using a 'not so good knife' helps... if you, like, saw through it instead of trying to slice it, it won't break as much. And slicing on a big diagonal seems to help. I would bet the electric knife linda mentioned would work well if you have one. I'll have to dig out mine.

It sort of seems like the darker areas (more cooked) seem to slice a little better, too. That may just be my imagination, though.

I still haven't really figured out the right answers though, these are only some ideas to try.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Drats, gave away the electric knife! I did notice the browner top did not crumble. The 'uneven' sides did even tho I positioned the knife to begin 'sawing' there to minimize. It didn't really help. Next time I will chop the pistachios more.

I wonder if I creamed the butter too much? Or maybe beating in the first cup of flour thoroughly would develop the gluten for a firmer loaf? Such a shame :) I'll have to make a couple more batches. Love those cranberries!