Chocolate Biscotti

It's definitely smelling like the holidays around here with all the baking going on in the oven! It's rainy today and I felt like making some chocolate biscotti for the week. The good thing about making your own biscotti at home is that you can customize it to how you like it. Because this recipe makes two logs, you can omit the almonds in one if someone doesn't like almonds. I added semi-sweet chocolate chips to both logs and just added almonds to one. I just like the added sweet chocolate chips hiding in the biscotti for a nice little surprise. 

I haven't made biscotti in a long time, so I forgot just how little butter it takes! You only need 3 tablespoons for two whole logs, or 48 servings! That's amazing for a cookie recipe. No wonder you can eat these for breakfast with your coffee and not feel too guilty about it! YUM!

Just be careful when you cut these up because they are a bit crumbly (probably due to the added chocolate chips). I don't mind imperfectly shaped biscotti. My batch came out a little burnt, so next time I am going to reduce the baking time to 15-18 minutes, instead of 20 minutes for the second round of baking.

CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Courtesy of COOKS.COM

---

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. Nestle Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. sugar
3 tbsp. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. almonds, coarsely chopped 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Combine cocoa, flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.


In large mixer bowl, beat sugar, butter, eggs and extract until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture; stir in almonds.


Divide dough in half. Shape into two 12 inch long rolls; flatten slightly. Place in greased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch baking pan.


Bake 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Cut in 1/2 inch thick slices; return to baking pan, cut sides down. Bake 20 minutes longer. Cool completely on rack. Yield: 48 cookies.