Biscotti, like macarons, are cookies that I went most of my life under the impression that I did not like it. I don’t know if this is because the only biscotti I’ve ever really seen was at a Starbucks or because most recipes I’ve seen have nuts; whatever the reason it is does not matter now.
In pastry school we made biscotti once and I was not completely frustrated with the process so I decided that I would some today so my mother could have some fresh biscotti waiting for her when she got home.
I myself am a chocolate fiend and since coffee and chocolate are a wonderful pair it seemed only natural that chocolate biscotti would be perfection.
Ingredients
- ½ stick of butter (soft)
- 2/3 cups of sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¾ cup of AP flour
- ¾ cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
Method
- In a mixing bowl cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and baking powder. Gradually add to the butter and sugar.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time allowing to fully incorporate before adding the next.
- Fold in flour gradually by hand. The batter will start to come together and form a single mass.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to chill for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Divide the dough into 2 and roll into 9 inch logs (careful to avoid air pockets). Flatten the top slightly and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes rotating half way through.
- Cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to allow to cool for 1 hour.
- Cut each loaf into ½ inch slices, and lay flat on a cookie sheet with new parchment. Beware chocolate chips that are on the outside edge though, every time I tried to cut through them my cookie would break and would have to be eaten (oh darn.)
- Bake at 325 F for 9 minutes. Flip cookies and bake for another 9 minutes.
- Allow to cool and enjoy.
What you are left with it a delicious chocolate cookie that isn’t overpowering or too sweet. They have a great snap and are perfect for dunking. The only trouble I seem to have with biscotti is cutting them. It seems hitting a soft and gooey chocolate chip causes the piece to crumble. This recipe yielded roughly 2 ½ dozen cookies so I imagine without the causalities it would have made 3 dozen.
The beautiful thing about them also is that they are very quick to come together; the longest part of this recipe is waiting around for them to cool down just to bake them again. I think with the way I’ve been nibbling at them they might disappear pretty fast too.
