Chocolate Biscotti

I made these years ago and thought I’d give it another go after watching a biscotti challenge on the Great British Baking Show. I’m looking forward to dipping these in my coffee tomorrow and delivering some to friends.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural, NOT Dutch)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 stick (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup almonds (or walnuts or hazelnuts), roughly chopped

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

• 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350’F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of electric mixer (or bowl with handheld mixer), cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture and combine to form a stiff dough. Stir in nuts and chocolate bits (if batter is not very wet, use 1/2 cup each of nuts and chocolate instead of 3/4 cup).

On a baking sheet lined with parchment, form dough into two slightly flattened logs, each about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide, and sprinkle with confectioners sugar (optional). Bake logs 35 minutes or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool biscotti on baking sheet 10 minutes. Cut biscotti diagonally into 3/4 inch slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet and bake again until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool biscotti on rack. Biscotti keep in airtight container for 1 week or frozen for 1 month.

Depending on how you cut them, this yields about 20 biscotti.