How to Make Bisconie

How to Make Bisconie
I've long been a fan of both scones and biscotti for an afternoon tea party, but I never tried combining the two until this week when I learned how to make bisconie.
Bisconie take the deliciousness of a freshly baked scone and marry it with the light-as-air, crunchy texture of biscotti. The result is truly delightful, an eminently dunkable and tasty treat that goes particularly well with a steaming mug of milky tea.

Not only do bisconie taste great, they are also a smart thing to have on hand since they stay fresh for ages. The drying process keeps them crispy as long as they're stored in an air-tight container.
One of the beautiful things about bisconie is how wonderfully open it is to interpretation. You can make nutty ones or fruity, plain or spicy, sweet or bland. All you need is your favorite scone recipe and you're on your way to making a stash of bisconie that will last for weeks.
I really like biscotti with chunks of toasted nuts in them that provide flavor and texture, so I decided to make bisconie with chopped walnuts and beautifully crunchy cacao nibs. Laced with a generous amount of vanilla extract, these beauties are incredibly fragrant as they bake and dry.

How to Make Bisconie


To make good bisconie, you need to start with a great scone dough. I made these with all-purpose flour so the cacao nibs and walnuts would be the star of the show, but you could also use half whole wheat flour to make them a bit healthier. I also used real butter since I love the flavor so much.
The key to light bisconie is the same for light scones: don't overwork the dough.
While scones are usually cut in circles or triangles, I cut mine into squares so I could have more uniform slices of bisconie. Just press the dough into a large square about 3/4 inch thick, and cut into 16 equal squares. Brush each piece with beaten egg and bake until the tops are a beautiful rich brown.
Once the scones are baked, let them cool before tackling the next step as you don't want to burn yourself.

Once the scones are cool, slice each square into three equal slices from top to bottom. At this point you can choose to dry them in a dehydrator or an oven. I used a dehydrator because I don't have to worry about oven temperature and checking on the bisconie all the time. I just lay the slices cut side down onto the dehydrator trays, set the timer, and came back 5 hours later to have gorgeous bisconie – light, crispy, and an excellent accompaniment for my afternoon cup of tea.
Let the bisconie cool to room temperature, then store in an air-tight container until ready to serve. If you want to get fancy, you could dip the bisconie in melted dark, milk, or white chocolate, or drizzle them instead. Just know that the chocolate will introduce moisture to the bisconie, so they won't be as crunchy as the non-glazed version.

Tea and Bisconie Pairings


These walnut cacao nib bisconie go really well with nutty black teas such as Toasted Nut Brûlée oolong, Porch Sippin' Pecan black tea, or No Obligations decaf black tea.
If bisconie sound good to you, you might also enjoy our recipes for other dried sweet treats such as Almond Royale Tea Biscotti or rusks, the South African breakfast cookie.


Walnut Cacao Nib Bisconie



Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut in pieces
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup cacao nibs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg, beaten (to brush tops of scones)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In bowl of food processor (or large bowl), add flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder and pulse (or stir) to combine. Add butter and pulse (or cut in) until mixture resembles damp sand.
Stir in walnuts and cacao nibs. Set aside.
In small bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and vanilla. Add to dry mixture and stir gently with a fork until combined.
Pour dough onto lightly-floured board or countertop and knead gently just until it comes together. Press into a square about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 16 squares and place on baking sheet about an inch apart. Brush tops with beaten egg and bake for 10-12 minutes until tops are golden brown.
Remove to counter and let cool.
Once cool, slice each scone into three thick slices from top to bottom. Lay cut side down on trays of dehydrator, cover, and dry for 4-6 hours.
If you're using an oven instead, set a cooling rack inside a baking sheet and top with slices of bisconie. Bake at a very low temperature for a few hours until dry and crisp.
Store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

Krista Bjorn

Canadian born Krista Bjorn has been traveling and exploring for over 20 years and loves every crazy, embarrassing, and wonderful moment. She's lived in Russia and Portugal and now makes her home in beautiful Queensland, Australia, saving her pennies for her next trip. Her food, photography and travel blog is Rambling Tart.
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