Milk Chocolate Biscotti
Submitted by luzines
Milk chocolate biscotti packed with toasted whole almonds and cocoa-darkened dough. Crisp, twice-baked Italian cookies ready for dunking in coffee or espresso.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
30 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsThese biscotti run darker and more chocolate-forward than the classic Italian version, thanks to a double hit of cocoa: seven ounces of chopped milk chocolate pulsed into the sifted dry ingredients plus a third cup of cocoa powder. The trick here is running the chocolate through the food processor with a cup of the flour mixture until it turns fine and powdery. That disperses the chocolate evenly through the dough instead of leaving chunky streaks.
Toasted almonds folded in whole give the cookies their classic biscotti crunch. Toast them at 350°F (175°C) until your kitchen smells distinctly of warm almonds; that aroma is the best timer you have. The dough will look dry when you first add the beaten eggs (only four eggs for nearly two cups of flour), but it comes together if you keep stirring. Resist the urge to add liquid.
Pro Tips
- Use plastic wrap to shape the logs. It keeps the sticky dough from clinging to your hands.
- Chill the shaped logs 20 minutes before the first bake for cleaner slicing later.
- Slice the cooled logs on a slight diagonal with a long serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
- For the second bake, lay slices cut-side down and flip halfway through for even crisping.
Variations
- Swap almonds for toasted hazelnuts for a more Piedmont-style biscotti.
- Add a tablespoon of orange zest to the dry mix for a chocolate-orange finish.
- Dip cooled biscotti halfway in melted white chocolate for a striking presentation.
Ingredients
Directions
Toast the almonds in a shallow pan in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly colored, shaking the pan once or twice.
You can tell when they are done by the strong smell of toasted almonds when you open the oven door.
Set aside to cool.
Cut or break the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade.
Let stand.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and sugar.
Add about a cup of these sifted ingredients to the chocolate.
Process for about 30 seconds, or until the chocolate is fine and powdery.
In a large bowl mix together the processed ingredients with the remaining sifted dry ingredients.
Stir in the almonds.
In a small bowl beat the eggs with the vanilla just to mix.
With a large rubber or wooden spatula stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients.
You might think there is not enough liquid, but there is - just keep stirring.
Now place two 20-inch lengths of plastic wrap on the work surface.
In order to shape two loaves, spoon a strip of of the dough down the middle of each piece of plastic wrap.
Each strip should be 13 to 14 inches long.
Flatten the tops.
Bake again.
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