Almond Biscotti Dipped in Chocolate
Biscotti is one of those beloved yet easily overlooked treats. It doesn’t look glamorous or often get served at grand events. But there’s something about the slow and deliberate process of making it that shines through to anyone tasting it. It’s a perfect hostess gift!
What is Biscotti
Biscotti is a European treat the Italians have been known for making since Medieval times. With espresso first thing in the morning or a cappuccino mid-afternoon, they make as good a breakfast as they do an after-dinner treat.
Biscotti means ‘twice-baked’ and this is the key to their long shelf life. The double baking dries off moisture and keeps the cookies fresh for weeks. (They also freeze beautifully!)
Biscotti is my favorite hostess gift
I have yet to present a tin or jar of Biscotti to anyone who doesn’t exclaim over it. “You made this?” is often the first response. One year, I gave a huge glass Mason jar filled with six varieties of Biscotti to our Thanksgiving hosts. Suffice it to say, when we left three days later, the jar had nothing but crumbs left. And you would have thought I’d presented our hosts with some kind of towering, gold-speckled concoction, rather than some twice-baked ‘loaves’ of flour and flavorings.
A great fall or winter baking project
I don’t bake much in summer. But come fall, I’m itching to get my hands back in the game and in October, I generally start the Biscotti process. Here’s the thing: Every single recipe I’ve ever come across mixes and shapes, cuts, and bakes differently than every other. Some of the most difficult to work with doughs make the best Biscotti. Others seem to do best when baked much longer than the recipe says, or when you double the almond or halve the nuts or switch them out, altogether. So get in there and try a few different recipes.
This is my perennial favorite
I’ve probably baked dozens of Biscotti recipes over the years. And I love them all, the fig with walnut, the dried cherry with almond, the chocolate with pistachios. But this recipe is always the first one gone. It seems basic but there’s something about the simplicity of the flavors and the final dunk in chocolate that makes them everyone’s favorite.
Thirty may sound like a lot of Biscotti, but trust me, given the fact they freeze beautifully. (I don’t dip the ones I plan to freeze in chocolate until I’m ready to serve them). They may look inauspicious, but given their flavor profile, they disappear within minutes. You won’t be sorry if you double the batch.
Of course, go with your chocolate preferences, but we love 70% cocoa, dark chocolate. The sharp bite against the delicacy of the almond cookie makes these perfection.
Become a hostess gift goddess
So, go ahead. Try your hand at Biscotti. Any flavor. Just know there’s very much a ‘feel’ to getting these just how you like them. Of course, that trial and error with a new recipe is something no one I know complains about!
FAQs
How do you cut Biscotti?
Use a long, serrated knife to slice the logs into slices. Be careful not to press too hard, but rather saw across the logs.
Is it normal for the dough to be sticky?
For many recipes, the dough will be wet, not dry as you form the logs. Even though the Biscotti doughs are all different, they all seem to produce surprisingly similar finished cookies.
The log seems underdone, should I bake it longer?
It’s important not to underbake the logs. If underbaked, they are difficult to cut and the slices tend to break apart.
How do I know if the first-bake is done?
Logs should be firm to the touch and not indent easily with a finger. Again, err on the side of slightly over-baking them.
Do I stand the slices up or lay them down for the second bake?
You’ll notice some recipes call for alying the slices flat on the sheet for the second bake; others suggest standing them upright. Follow the directions as ingredients such as chocolate chips will melt into the cookie sheet if laid down.
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds
- 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 eggs (large)
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
For Dipping
- 10 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spread almonds on baking sheet; toast for 10 minutes. Cool.
- Transfer 1/2 cup almonds and 1 Tbsp sugar to food processor (or blender); mix till finely ground.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt; pulse to mix.
- With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, vanilla and remaining 3/4 cup sugar on high until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the flour mixture; mix on low till just blended. Stir in the whole almonds.
- Grease a baking sheet. Transfer the dough to the sheet and shape into 2- 2 1/2" high loaves. Smooth tops.
- Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
- Transfer the loaves to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice crosswise (at a diagonal), into 1/2" thick slices. Lower the oven to 325°.
- Return the slices to the sheet, standing them upright. Bake till golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
Dipping Chocolate
- Finely chop chocolate and add to top of a double boiler. Stirring constantly, heat until just melted. Remove upper pan from double boiler.
- Spoon (or use a knife) to cover 1/3 – 1/2 of each cookie in chocolate. Hold over pan, letting excess chocolate drip back into pan. Stand upright on parchment paper or a plate until hardened.
