Nuts for Biscotti….
Well, it seems my parents are hooked on biscotti again and this time it’s mine. (Yeah!) Ok, I’m hooked too… So, now I’m on a kick to try out as many different kinds of biscotti as I can. Since I once had a rather unusual breakfast obsession with Nutella on toast at one time in the past, it seemed logical (to me) that whenever I think of hazelnuts, I think of chocolate and coffee. I should say that I like my biscotti big so I can just grab one and go, so if you prefer smaller biscotti, just make two logs instead of one.
Double Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
2-2/3 cups flour
1/3 cups cocoa powder
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 salt
1 Tbsp espresso powder
3 eggs
1-1/3 cup (9 oz) organic cane sugar
3/4 c safflower oil
1 tbsp vanilla
1-1/2 c hazelnuts
3/4 c dark chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Roast hazelnuts for 15 minutes or until fragrant. After 8 minutes, shake pan to rotate hazelnuts.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt.
- Add vanilla to the oil.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on medium for three minutes until pale and thick.
- Beat in vanilla & oil mixture on low speed.
- Using a wooden spoon, add the flour mixture.
- Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
- Using a spatula, transfer dough (which should be quite sticky) to the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Shape into one long log (will be about the length of the baking sheet & 6 inches wide).
- Wet fingertips and gently smooth the top of the logs.
- Bake the logs for 25 minutes. They should be crisp and golden on the outside. They will still be soft on the inside.
- Line another baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the logs into 1-inch wide pieces. Use a serrated steak knife if possible. Cut slowly and wipe the knife off between cuts to ensure clean cuts each time.
- Using a long icing knife or long spatula, lift the pieces to the new baking sheet. Lay the cut pieces on their side. Space them evenly about 1/2-inch or more apart.
- Bake in the oven for 22 minutes or until they are crisp and brown on the outside.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes or until cool to the touch.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. As the cookies cool they will become crisper.
- Store in an airtight container.