Biscotti – so impressive but easier to make than traditional cookies – there are tons of variations and you can bake to soft or crispy. They look like you spent all day in the kitchen and they make perfect gifts! Well, guess thats it…no need to ever make another dessert besides Biscotti! (lets see how that goes, shall we?).
I’ve made quite a few batches of biscotti in my time but needed a fresh take. I searched around and finally settled on David Lebovitz version. It looked perfect and I had all the ingredients on hand (a prerequisite for all my recipes since I do a whole lot of cooking in the early a.m. – no trips to the store with bad hair and animal print jammies – at the request of my local Safeway I might add).
These were really lovely. They had a big chocolaty flavor without all the sweet that chocolate can bring. Being a savory girl, I really appreciate that.
NOTES:
- If your batter seems on the dry side, add a tablespoon or two of water before adding the chips.
- On the second bake – be sure not leave in longer than the recipe calls for. The cookies might feel moist, but they will firm up while cooling. 20-30 minutes tops.
- You can drizzle with melted chocolate chips after the cookies cool for a final touch!
These are normally made around the holidays but Mr. Lauging Spatuala and his buddy Dutch are such fans, that I thought they deserved a treat! Rumor has it, they loved them – good enough for me!
Double Chocolate Biscotti
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4 cups cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup almonds toasted and very coarsely-chopped
- 3/4 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
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In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
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In a large bowl, beat together the 3 eggs, sugar, and vanilla & almond extracts. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients. (if dough seems a bit sticky and dry - add a few tablespoons of water to thin out to the consistency of thick cake batter).
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Mix in the nuts and the chocolate chips until the dough holds together.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two logs the length of the baking sheet. Transfer the logs onto the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart.
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Gently flatten the tops of the logs. Sprinkle the tops with the coarse or crystal sugar and bake for 25 minutes, until the dough feels firm to the touch.
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Remove the cookie dough from the oven and cool 15 minutes. On a cutting board, use a serrated bread knife to diagonally cut the cookies into 1/2-inches slices. Lay the cookies cut side down on baking sheets and return to the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies feel mostly firm.
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Once baked, cool the cookies completely then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you wish, the cookies can be half-dipped in melted chocolate, then cooled until the chocolate hardens.
I love biscotti and haven’t made them in forever. I might have to make a batch of these this weekend 🙂
Thanks Anne! It makes a ton of them and they last a good long week!
Kathi
These biscotti look amazing, Kathi! I made biscotti a few months ago, but I might have to make these. Great post!
Thank you Bill, for your lovely comment and for visiting! I made Lemon-Almond using almond meal at the same time and they were fabulous – I’ll post later this spring!
I have never made biscotti but these sound not too complicated and look beautiful. I am sure that they taste as good as they look! 🙂
I am in the process of making this biscotti. It looks wonderful. I have a question though. It calls for 3 eggs, but then it calls for another egg to brush the tops. The 4 th egg should be listed in the ingredients for the glaze along with the sugar don’t you think?
Thanks.
Yup – I think you are correct and I’ll make the change!
Thank you!
Kathi
I made this biscotti recipe and ir was NOT good. I actually tried it again thinking I had made a mistake. Still not good. Comparing it to other recipes that I have made, this has no butter. Is that a mistake? They are like rocks. They look great and taste like rocks. Delete.
Hi Nancy – I double checked the recipe (It’s a David Lebovitz recipe) and it all checks out. It is a firmer cookie, as you mentioned no butter…but it shouldn’t be ‘hard as a rock’. Sorry it didn’t work for you!
Kathi
I made this biscotti yesterday and the results were not good at all. They’re like little concrete bars. They smelled great while baking but they’re basically inedible. I have a great biscotti recipe but it’s not chocolate. I’ll see if I can find something similar that does use cocoa.
Hi Jen, I am so sorry these didn’t work for you! It’s a recipe from David Lebowitz (so lets blame him :). I checked, checked and double checked the ingredients and they are correct. I have other negative comments on this same recipe. I’ll remake this week and if it doesnt work, will adjust! Thank you so very, very much for taking the time to comment. The negative comments are as helpful as the positive ones!