Chocolate-Chocolate Chip-Hazelnut-Chipotle Biscotti

1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup (133g) sugar

2 eggs, large (approx 50g each)

1/4 cup (18g) cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

2 tsp (8g) baking powder

1-3/4 cup (215g) AP flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 to 1 tsp Chipotle chili powder, depending on how much heat you want. I used 1/2 tsp, but will increase it to at least 3/4 tsp next time.

1/2 cup (64g) hazlenuts, chopped

3/4 cup (125g) chocolate chips (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

Either by hand or machine:

Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs one at a time. Beat until lemony colored.

Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and chili powder together. Add to the wet ingredients and beat only until smooth and all the flour mixture is incorporated; about 1 min. on low

By hand: Fold in the hazlenuts and chocolate chips.

Shape two logs about 9 by 2-1/2 inches, on a lightly greased cookie sheet, or ungreased parchment paper, or Silpat. Flatten to about 3/4 ". Bake @ 350°F for 15 to 17 mins. until just firm to the touch, or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins. Reduce oven temp. to 300°F. Cut logs, on a bias, into 3/4" slices using a serrated blade knife. Arrange on cookie sheet cut sides up and down. Bake for 20 mins. Turn biscotti over, and bake for another 20 mins., or until very dry and firm to the touch.

Cool, Enjoy.

David G

P.S. I didn't use any white chocolate chips, but they'd be a great addition.

...no such thing as too much chocolate! I think I'll serve these with your recommended dipping sauce.

David G

Glad you're enjoying them. They've become a household favorite; there's been a batch on the sideboard, perpetually replaced every couple of weeks since I first hatched the recipe last year. I've settled on a full 1 tsp of chipotle chili powder, otherwise the recipe hasn't changed an iota.

David G

Hi, Brian

I'm tardy getting back to you; I've been away at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC for a week learning more about Charcuterie. In six days we reduced a whole hog to delicious sausages, roasts, hams, pates, spreads, and cold meats. I purposely left all my electronic communications gear at home.

Here is a basic recipe for sweet biscotti: (makes 2 loaves, about 30 biscotti cookies)

2 c (250g)  all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c (114g) unsalted butter

3/4 c (150g) granulated sugar

1 to 2 Tbls Lemon Zest--do not omit!

1/2 tsp salt--reduce to 0 to 1/4 tsp if you substitute salted butter

2 large eggs (100g)

1 tsp. vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Do not use a baking stone, nor leave one in the oven. The oven needs to cool quickly for the second baking. The heat stored in some baking stones will prevent that.

Cream the butter, sugar until homogeneous. Add eggs and vanilla and beat together. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to distribute evenly.

Note: If you use additional liquid flavoring extracts (see below) they can be added with the vanilla. We use vanilla, regardless of what other extracts we also add.

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet, and either by hand or on lowest mixer setting fold or beat them until they are just combined.

By hand, using a rubber spatula, fold in nuts and dried fruits (see below) gently until evenly distributed.

The dough should be stiff, but will still be sticky.

On half-sheet pan or cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper or a fiberglass pad, form two trapezoids--see "You didn't make any mistakes!" posting to OldWoodenSpoon--above in this thread--for details.

Bake until top center of the loaves spring back to a light touch, or a toothpick come out cleanly. (usually 16 to 18 mins.)

Remove from oven, let cool on pan for 10 mins. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

When cooled, carefully remove one loaf to a cutting board--I use an eight-inch wide cake-transfer spatula. There is a danger of the loaves breaking in half from their own weight unless you support both ends.

Using a serrated blade cut 3/4" inch thick slices, on a bias and return them to the baking pan, one cut side down. Do the same with the second loaf.

Bake for 20 minutes at 300°F, test for crispness--the up side should be very firm, a slight spring is ok. Remove the pan from the oven, and flip each cookie exposing the original down side. Bake another 20 minutes or until the up side is crisp (no spring) and dry. Remove and cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Nut and Dried Fruit combinations we've tried:

Regardless of which combinations, we use 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts, and 2/3 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit.

Pistachio/Craisans, Hazelnut/Candied lemon rind, Pecans/dried Tart Cherries; and my wife's favorite: Almonds with 2 tsp each of Amaretto and Almond extracts (from King Arthur) and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

But you're certainly not limited to just these. For example, this holiday season I'm going to chop par-boiled fresh pumpkin (just slightly soft) to a 3/16th" dice, and add 2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice to the mix.

Parmesan/Black Pepper Biscotti

(this recipe makes four loaves, makes about 60 biscotti cookies)

1-1/2 Tbls whole black peppercorns, seperated into 1 Tbls (for dough) and 1/2 Tbls (for sprinkling on top)

4 c (500g) all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

4-1/2 oz. (128g) finely grated Parmesan cheese; reserve 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top.

3/4 c (170g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes.

3 large eggs (150g) lightly whisked

1 cup (245g) whole milk, whisk into eggs

1 egg yolk and 1 Tbls water, whisked for glaze

Directions

The original recipe prescribes cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or your fingers, forming a coarse meal texture--like biscuit dough. I've made these entirely in a mixer, creaming the eggs and butter together before adding the dry ingredients and the milk. I couldn't discern any difference in the finished biscotti.

Pulse the peppercorns in a spice grinder until reaching a coarse grind.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 Tbls of ground pepper, and all but 1/4 cup of the grated cheese and whisk together.

Add the butter, and cut in with a pastry cutter until a coarse meal forms. Add the 3 eggs and milk and stir until a well-formed dough results.

Note: This dough may be slightly sticky, you can shape trapezoids with a spatula as described--that's what I do--or turn the divided dough onto a floured board and shape logs, transferring them to the lined baking sheet and flattening the logs slightly.

Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash, and sprinkle them evenly with the reserved pepper and grated cheese.

Bake, as described above at 350°F , switching the pans position half-way if on two shelves, until the tops spring back when lightly compressed.

Remove, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F, cool the loaves for 10 minutes then cut and bake, flip and finish as described above.

Although I haven't yet tried it, I think we could substitute 100g to 128g of additional flour for the cheeses and make a basic savory dough, adding inovative mixtures of crumbled cheeses, herbs, spices, and nuts; e.g., Walnut/Bleu Cheese, Almond/Feta, just Rosmary and/or other herbs, Basil/Pepperoni, Pistachio/Morta Della, Jalapeno/fresh corn kernels, or anything your imagination can create. Since the biscotti usually accompanies wine I'd look for combinations that complement the wines and/or the entrees if served with dinner. Herbs to added to the dry ingredients, Nuts and crumbled cheeses folded in to the finished dough.

Note: These savory biscotti tend to be more hydroscopic than the sweet biscotti. I suggest you store them in a doubled plastic bag, or in a tightly sealed container.

Enjoy!

David G

Hi, Brian

I'm tardy getting back to you; I've been away at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC for a week learning more about Charcuterie. In six days we reduced a whole hog to delicious sausages, roasts, hams, pates, spreads, and cold meats. I purposely left all my electronic communications gear at home.

Here is a basic recipe for sweet biscotti: (makes 2 loaves, about 30 biscotti cookies)

2 c (250g)  all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c (114g) unsalted butter

3/4 c (150g) granulated sugar

1 to 2 Tbls Lemon Zest--do not omit!

1/2 tsp salt--reduce to 0 to 1/4 tsp if you substitute salted butter

2 large eggs (100g)

1 tsp. vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Do not use a baking stone, nor leave one in the oven. The oven needs to cool quickly for the second baking. The heat stored in some baking stones will prevent that.

Cream the butter, sugar until homogeneous. Add eggs and vanilla and beat together. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to distribute evenly.

Note: If you use additional liquid flavoring extracts (see below) they can be added with the vanilla. We use vanilla, regardless of what other extracts we also add.

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet, and either by hand or on lowest mixer setting fold or beat them until they are just combined.

By hand, using a rubber spatula, fold in nuts and dried fruits (see below) gently until evenly distributed.

The dough should be stiff, but will still be sticky.

On half-sheet pan or cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper or a fiberglass pad, form two trapezoids--see "You didn't make any mistakes!" posting to OldWoodenSpoon--above in this thread--for details.

Bake until top center of the loaves spring back to a light touch, or a toothpick come out cleanly. (usually 16 to 18 mins.)

Remove from oven, let cool on pan for 10 mins. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

When cooled, carefully remove one loaf to a cutting board--I use an eight-inch wide cake-transfer spatula. There is a danger of the loaves breaking in half from their own weight unless you support both ends.

Using a serrated blade cut 3/4" inch thick slices, on a bias and return them to the baking pan, one cut side down. Do the same with the second loaf.

Bake for 20 minutes at 300°F, test for crispness--the up side should be very firm, a slight spring is ok. Remove the pan from the oven, and flip each cookie exposing the original down side. Bake another 20 minutes or until the up side is crisp (no spring) and dry. Remove and cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Nut and Dried Fruit combinations we've tried:

Regardless of which combinations, we use 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts, and 2/3 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit. (Roast all nuts for heightened flavor.)

Pistachio/Craisans, Hazelnut/Candied lemon rind, Pecans/dried Tart Cherries; and my wife's favorite: Almonds with 2 tsp each of Amaretto and Almond extracts (from King Arthur) and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

But you're certainly not limited to just these. For example, this holiday season I'm going to chop par-boiled fresh pumpkin (just slightly soft) to a 3/16th" dice, and add 2 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice to the mix.

Parmesan/Black Pepper Biscotti

(this recipe makes four loaves, makes about 60 biscotti cookies)

1-1/2 Tbls whole black peppercorns, seperated into 1 Tbls (for dough) and 1/2 Tbls (for sprinkling on top)

4 c (500g) all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

4-1/2 oz. (128g) finely grated Parmesan cheese; reserve 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top.

3/4 c (170g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes.

3 large eggs (150g) lightly whisked

1 cup (245g) whole milk, whisk into eggs

1 egg yolk and 1 Tbls water, whisked for glaze

Directions

The original recipe prescribes cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or your fingers, forming a coarse meal texture--like biscuit dough. I've made these entirely in a mixer, creaming the eggs and butter together before adding the dry ingredients and the milk. I couldn't discern any difference in the finished biscotti.

Pulse the peppercorns in a spice grinder until reaching a coarse grind.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 Tbls of ground pepper, and all but 1/4 cup of the grated cheese and whisk together.

Add the butter, and cut in with a pastry cutter until a coarse meal forms. Add the 3 eggs and milk and stir until a well-formed dough results.

Note: This dough may be slightly sticky, you can shape trapezoids with a spatula as described--that's what I do--or turn the divided dough onto a floured board and shape logs, transferring them to the lined baking sheet and flattening the logs slightly.

Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash, and sprinkle them evenly with the reserved pepper and grated cheese.

Bake, as described above at 350°F , switching the pans position half-way if on two shelves, until the tops spring back when lightly compressed.

Remove, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F, cool the loaves for 10 minutes then cut and bake, flip and finish as described above.

Although I haven't yet tried it, I think we could substitute 100g to 128g of additional flour for the cheeses and make a basic savory dough, adding inovative mixtures of crumbled cheeses, herbs, spices, and nuts; e.g., Walnut/Bleu Cheese, Almond/Feta, just Rosmary and/or other herbs, Basil or Rosemary/Sundried Tomato, Basil/Pepperoni, Pistachio/Morta Della, Jalapeno/fresh corn kernels, or anything your imagination can create. Since the biscotti usually accompanies wine I'd look for combinations that complement the wines and/or the entrees if served with dinner. Herbs to added to the dry ingredients, nuts and crumbled cheeses folded into to the finished dough.

Note: These savory biscotti tend to be more hydroscopic than the sweet biscotti. I suggest you store them in a doubled plastic bag, or in a tightly sealed container.

Enjoy!

David G