Chocolate Biscotti

I have to admit, this time last year if someone had of told me I would be making, eating and ENJOYING biscotti, I would have told them they were nuts!  Those horrible hard sticks that break your teeth, ewwww!  Well, a year later I must confess I now love biscotti.  I am not sure if I should thank or curse Mike at work for encouraging me to try my hand at making them (only because he wanted some, haha).  Since then I have researched quite a few recipes, though I have only tried a few because I can’t stop eating them.  I made two batches on the weekend, almond cherry and a new Chocolate one from; Fresh from the Oven, I have wanted to try a chocolate one for a long time, I had all the ingredients and these ones looked delicious!

Adapted from Fresh from the Oven

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder – I used ruby red
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp  salt
1 cup walnuts
1/3 cup almonds
1 1/2 cups Chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa,baking soda,salt, 1 cup of chocolate chips and walnuts, until chocolate chunks and walnuts are coarsely ground

2. In a bowl of electric mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the whole eggs, and granulated sugar until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for a few seconds when you raise the whisk.

3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on low-speed, add the flour mixture.

4. When it’s well combined, add in the nuts and chocolate and stir by hand, using a large spatula.

5.  Divide into 3 and form into flat logs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet

6. Bake until logs are just firm to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

7. When the logs are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut biscotti. Arrange slices, cut sides down. Bake until biscotti are firm to the touch and completely dry 15-17 minutes.

I think these chocolate biscotti are my favourite!  They are so chocolately and have a hint of nut flavour from the ground nuts.  I love the texture of these ones, they are more firm with a smaller crumb, not quite as crumbly as others I have made.  This is the final picture because they were all gone before I got around to taking ‘the nice picture’.
They were amazing dunked in a cup of mint tea, I will admit to having 4 in one cup of tea! A definite keeper!

Almond, Cherry and White Chocolate Biscotti

A few weeks ago I got a request to make Biscotti.  Biscotti? Really? I had never had a biscotti, to me they just seemed like rock hard cookies you had to gnaw on, kind of reminded me of teething biscuits.  I think it was because I am not a fan of “dunking”.  I just never understood why people would “dunk” their cookies in a glass of milk, making a perfectly good cookie all soft and soggy…ewww! Even though I had never made them, my Daring Bakers instincts kicked in and I was up for the challenge!

First off I figured I should learn a little about what a biscotti really was.  Biscotti are twice-baked biscuits originating in Italy. The biscuits are long and narrow, made dry and crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still hot and fresh from baking in the oven.  Biscotti are usually accompanied with a beverage for dunking.  Originally made for dunking in wine, they are also enjoyed dunking in coffee and teas.

After much searching, ( I had no idea there were as many varieties of Biscotti) I decided on something simple for the first batch.  The only request that was made was that it had “almond” in it.

Cherry, Almond & White Chocolate Biscotti

From gimmesomeoven.com

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
1/2 cup dried berries (cherries or cranberries)
1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds
white chocolate baking squares or chips (optional)

Method:

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.  Set aside.

2. Mix eggs, oil, and extracts in a bowl with an electric mixer.

3. Then add in dry ingredients and mix together until combined.

4. Then add in berries and almonds – and either mix by hand with a wooden spoon, or very briefly with the electric mixer.

** I added the nuts and mixed until combined.  Removed half the dough and added the cherries to the rest, so I had to different kinds**

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface.  Knead lightly a few times to be sure that berries and almonds are well-distributed.  (Dough will be sticky, so you may need to lightly re-flouring your surface once or twice.)

6. Shape each half into long logs, and flatten to 1″ thickness. Place on a baking sheet.

Almond

Almond and Cherry

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

8. Remove rolls from baking sheet and cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

9. Cut each roll diagonally into 1/2″ slices.

10. Place the slices cut-sides down on a baking sheet.

11. Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove, and turn each slice over, and bake for another 10 minutes.  Remove and cool on wire racks.

To add white chocolate, simply melt your desired amount in a double boiler or (carefully!) in the microwave.  Use a fork to drizzle it over the biscotti slices.  Or you can dip each slice in a bowl of the melted white chocolate.

Out of the oven, cooled, pictures taken, I have stalled long enough…I will taste.  I have to admit I was not looking forward to it, but figured I should at least try them before I give them away.

Verdict…They were not bad, quite crunchy!!! Again I had a flashback to 20 years ago of my little cousins gnawing on those awful almond teething cookies.  But I did go back for another bite…they were growing on me.  I figured if I was going to have a biscotti I should do the “dunk”!  So, I brewed up my favourite loose leaf herbal peppermint tea and go in for the “dunk”….

I hesitated a bit….thinking of that soggy cookie….but I go for it

I was pleasantly surprised! It was pretty good!  It did not go soggy, it was not gooey, just right.  Soft enough to chew and not have to gnaw, but not mushy.  Hmmm, I went in for the second dunk! At which point I grabbed the cup and biscotti and headed over to the couch, might as well enjoy in comfort.   I’m not sure if it was a good thing having made these, just another cookie I have to try to stay away from!!!!! I am already looking at a few others I would like to try.