Chocolate Biscotti

I didn't think I liked biscotti, but decided it would be a good addition to some gifts I was making for some friends. I absolutely fell in LOVE with this chocolate biscotti recipe and ended up making it three times in the week before Christmas! I made some more this weekend to give to a friend after surgery. It is so hard not to steal some for myself! I substituted the almonds (since initially I made them for a number of people and wanted them to appeal to the masses) with chopped white chocolate, and ended up loving that direction and have continued to make them that way!



Chocolate Biscotti
Source: Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours)

~2 cups all-purpose flour
~½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
~2 tablespoons instant espresso powder (I replaced with cocoa powder)
~¾ teaspoon baking soda
~½ teaspoon baking powder
~1 teaspoon salt
~¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
~1 cup sugar
~2 large eggs, lightly beaten
~1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
~1 cup chopped almonds, blanched or unblanched (or about 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped)
~4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or ¾ cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
~Sugar, for dusting

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes; the mixture may be crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes; don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the chopped nuts and chocolate, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into 12-inch-long logs. Flatten both logs with the palm of your hand, so that they are ½ to 1 inch high, about 2 inches across and sort of rectangular, then carefully lift the logs onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each log with a little sugar.

Bake the logs for about 25 minutes, or until they are just slightly firm. The logs will spread and crack - and that’s just fine. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and cool the logs for about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)

Working with one log at a time, using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between ½ and ¾ inch thick. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet - you’ll have an army of biscotti - and baking the cookies again, this time for just 10 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.