When I want to indulge and treat myself to something delicious, I will order a mochaccino coffee at our local coffee shop. The flavor created by mixing espresso and chocolate seems downright decadent. Because this is one of my favorite flavor combinations, I decided to create a mocha biscotti. I prefer my biscotti simple, without any enhancement after they are baked, but if you wanted to dress these biscotti up a bit you could drizzle some melted chocolate across them.
Biscotti can be found in different countries around the globe, although they can be traced back to Italy as far back as the fourteenth century. In fact it is said Christopher Columbus carried these cookies on his voyages because they were so sturdy, and their dryness prevented the problem of spoilage.
The name biscotti can be translated as twice cooked which indeed describes how these tasty cookies are made. By baking them twice, they lose any excess moisture, which ensures a crisp, dry cookie perfect for dipping. Since biscotti are not very sweet, they are a perfect snack at any time of the day, whether they are enjoyed with a cup of coffee in the morning or dipped into a sweet dessert wine after dinner.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Mochaccino Biscotti
The rich flavor combination of coffee and chocolate works really well in these biscotti.
Ingredients
- 4 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Espresso Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- Dash of Salt
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Toasted Hazelnuts, Coarsely Chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a food processor, blend together the chocolate and brown sugar until fine.
- Mix together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, blend the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add half the chocolate mixture and blend at low speed.
- Add half the flour mixture and blend.
- Repeat blending just until mixed.
- Stir in the hazelnuts and mix throughout the dough.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts.
- On a prepared baking sheet, shape each half of the dough into a log about 12 inches long.
- Wet your fingers to shape if needed to keep the dough from sticking.
- Bake the logs for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the tops of the logs are firm to the touch.
- Allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes.
- Decrease the heat to 300 degrees F.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into 1/2 inch slices and place flat on the baking sheet.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes and turn the slices over.
- Bake another 10 minutes.
- Cool the biscotti completely and then store in an airtight container.