Double Chocolate Biscotti

These are great with coffee or the Italian dessert wine Vin Santo. As an added treat – dip one-half in melted bittersweet chocolate after totally cooled.

Preheat oven – 325F.
Makes approximately 48 cookies

4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons strained unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon almond extract
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Beat the butter with electric mixer until it starts to become fluffy. Gradually add the sugar over one minute, then beat 2-3 additional minutes. Beat in one egg at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Sprinkle these dry ingredients into the butter/sugar/egg mixture.
3. Add in the nuts, orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla, almond extract and chips. Combine gently but thoroughly. (If time allows, chill the dough for an hour before forming into logs, it will be easier to work with)
4. Preheat oven to 325F.
5. Shape dough into 3 or 4 logs, approximately 2” wide and ¾” high on unbuttered baking sheets. Place pan in the center of the oven and bake until just firm to the touch, about 35-40 minutes. (If possible, only bake one sheet at a time, otherwise switch racks half way through baking.)
6. Remove pan from oven and let the cookie logs cool for about 10 minutes, or until cool to the touch.
7. Using a serrated knife, slice the logs on the diagonal into 1/3” or ½” thick cookies and return to the baking sheet. Reduce oven to 275F. and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until crisp and dry, but not browned any further. Remove cookies from oven and place sheets on cooling rack.
8. Cool thoroughly and store in air-tight containers.

Note – try other nuts, and even chopped, candied ginger.