Extreme Chocolate Biscotti

Name: Extreme Chocolate Biscotti
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup natural dark cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup sugar; 2 tablespoon finely grated tangerine zest; 1 1/2 cup whole natural almonds; 8 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/4 cup cocoa nibs; 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature; 1 extra-large eggs, at room temperature; 2 teaspoon honey; 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

Hedy Goldsmith|Dec. 20, 2012 2:44 pm EST

2.8 (4 ratings)

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"I think of these as the rock stars of the cookie world," says Goldsmith. "Simple to make and loaded with lots of big flavors, these biscotti taste even better the longer they sit… but they are so fantastic, they probably won’t last very long."

Servings

20

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup natural dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon finely grated tangerine zest
1 1/2 cup whole natural almonds
8 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and tangerine zest. Using your hands, rub the zest into the sugar to release the tangerine oil. Add the flour mixture, almonds, chocolate, and cocoa nibs. Mix until well blended.
In a small bowl, stir together the eggs, egg yolk, honey, and vanilla until well blended. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients, and using your hands, mix well. The mixture will feel dry at first, and then it will come together to form a wet dough.
Scrape the dough onto the center of the prepared baking sheet. Using damp hands, shape it into a log about 14 inches long and 3 inches wide. Go ahead and rewet your hands if the dough gets sticky.
Bake for 36-38 minutes, until the log gives slightly when pressed. Do not overbake the log or you’ll have trouble cutting it into neat slices. Move the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Don’t be tempted to cut these while they are warm — the chocolate will ooze and the slices will be very crumbly. (At this point, the biscotti can also be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day before proceeding).
Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees.
Carefully remove the log from the parchment paper or liner and place on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife and a sawing motion, cut the log on the diagonal into ½-inch-thick slices. Line the baking sheet with a fresh sheet of parchment paper or nonstick liner.
Place the slices on the baking sheet, cut side down, leaving a little space between them. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until they are dry. The second bake creates that great crunchy biscotti texture. To test for doneness, pull one out of the oven after 18 minutes and let it cool slightly. It should be very dry and firm at this point. If it feels right, pull the baking sheet out, set it on a wire rack, and let the biscotti cool completely. Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. The longer they sit, the more the flavor develops.