I was rummaging through my cupboards and came across a few opened packets of nuts including almonds and automatically thought of that lovely Italian biscuit called Biscotti.

I used the recipe from Easy Baking by Linda Collister as a base and went from there.

Easy baking was published in 2008, a small compact little book, that is an absolute darling. No longer in publication and when Son no.2 was home I went to look for a recipe and simply could not find it in my collection – it will turn up one day,, but knowing how difficult to find this book is. I ordered two, one for me and one for him to add to his collection of books, not that he has many, but as a budding pastry chef, this is one that simplifies the ingredient list into a doable recipe therefore making it easier to practise or just turn out a few biscuits or cakes in times of need or want. I recommend it.

Firstly I pan roasted a collection of nuts, almonds, hazelnuts and chopped mixed nuts that I had in my collection. The recipe indicated oven roasting but I think pan roasting is much more controllable and there is nothing more disappointing or expensive than forgetting for a moment your nuts that are roasting in the oven and finding them too far gone and slightly blackened and bitter.

Next I had purchased the first of the seasons candied peel up at the market, so portioned about 75g out and chopped that up into tiny jewels.

Made the mix up according to the recipe which involved whizzing a few nuts into a fine powder to add to the flour and baked the mixture into two long sausages, allowed them to cool and then with a serrated knife cut on the angle and baked again.

If I am honest I think I should have baked them a little bit harder. They are just under the hardness of a shop bought biscotti.

But you live and learn and they are still extremely delicious, perfect for a pick me up with a hot drink in the afternoon.