Favorite Chocolate Biscotti Recipe

Despite the many baking failures I had over the past, I am extremely blessed in the biscotti department. In fact I find my favorite biscotti recipe the first time I attempted it. Although I blogged about these biscottis a couple of times in the past, I failed to include the recipe. Firstly because I am lazy. Secondly, the recipe is lengthy.I have the book and even copied it by hand in my notebook, so that I could bake it during my last trip home. So I find no rush to put it up here.
Until not long ago, my friend A asked me for the recipe. Her friend who tried the biscottis and has since moved to New York is thinking of attempting the recipe herself. So I thought I might type it here for her, and others who may be interested too.

After my first sweet success, I have since tried many biscotti recipes but none (ok, except those mosaic biscottis) measured up to this one. This recipe, which comes from the Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook is my reliable source for chocolate biscottis. I have also tweaked it a few times with different flour components, amount of sugar, varieties of nuts and even used different brands of chocolate, just to see if that makes a different. Come to think of it, I must have made it more than ten times.

For research purpose, I bought biscotti from Starbucks one day and did a blind test. In my humble opinion, they tasted equally great. So I would safely say that I wouldn't be getting my biscottis from Starbucks again. I figure that the money saved could be used to buy other quality ingredients!

I strongly encourage bakers who have not tried baking biscottis before to give this incredibly easy recipe a go. And for the novice bakers out there, making this will guarantee an instant confidence boost. I certainly felt invinsible the day I made my first batch. There is no way you can mess up this easy cookie.

To make the process even easier,I have one tips for you. Just one. Instead of shaping the dough by hand, simply drop spoonfuls directly onto the parchment paper to form logs.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
adapted and modified from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I like to replace 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for the all purpose)
1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp granulated sugar for glaze (I used 1 cup and it's the right sweetness for me)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups(about 8 ounces) blanched hazelnuts (sometime I use almond, but I prefer hazelnuts)
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunk(I like to use one pack of 3.5oz 72% Lindt and make up the rest with 60% Ghiradelli Chocolate chips)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 eggwhite for glaze (optional), at room temperature
Sanding sugar (or granulated)for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.Line two large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa,baking soda,salt, 1 cup of chocolate chunks and hazelnut, until chocolate chunks and hazelnuts are the size of peas. *if you don't have a food processor (like me), coarsely chop the nuts and chocolate and sieve the flour.

In a bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the whole eggs, and granulated sugar until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for a few seconds when you raise the whisk.

Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture. When it's well combined, add in the nuts and chocolate and stir by hand, using a large spatula.

Martha Stewart's proper way:
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide into 3 equal pieces. Shape each pieces into an 18 inch log. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. With the palm of your hand, gently press the logs to flatten slighlt. Brush egg wash over logs. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if using.

OR

Mandy's lazy not messy way:
Using the spatula as a guide, drop the dough by spoonful into a 2.5-inches wide and 18-inches long log directly onto the parchment paper. Slightly flatten it to 1/2-inch thick. Leave 2 inches space between logs.*** Brush eggwash over logs. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until logs are just firm to the touch, 20-24 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

When the logs are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut biscotti log on the diagonal, into 1/4-inch thick, or if you like, 3/4-inch thick (which is more durable to be send off as care package.

Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down on the rack.Bake until biscottis are firm to the touch and completely dry. 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove pans from the oven;Let biscottis cool completely on the rack. They can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. I keep them in the freezer when I don't feel like sharing with others. They can be kept there for months.

note: chocolate drizzle is not necessary, but I used it for aesthetic purpose.

Read more...

Can you keep a secret?

What is your favorite kind of cookies? For me, I can't resist biscotti. Chocolate biscotti, to be specific. The first thing I see on the biscotti recipe is not the description one provides, but the ingredient list. I want to know whether butter is used in the process.

Called me stubborn, or even ignorant, but I steer myself clear from biscotti made with butter. I don't care what others say about the crispier texture when butter is used. It just doesn't feel right for me. I think it has to do with one article I read couple years ago before I started baking biscottis. It mentioned that the "real deal" is made without butter. Ironically, I can't even remember where I saw that article, let alone its authenticity. But the message somehow stuck in my illogical brain.

Having established my weird logic on biscotti recipe, it should not catch you by surprise that this batch of biscotti is made without butter. And the means of how this recipe travel from the book onto this blog is quite embarrassing, if not scandalous.

It was on a sunny morning after I walked OCT to school and decided to spend some leisure time browsing the new cookbooks in the nearby Barnes & Nobles. The sparkling new Dolce Italiano that was displayed on the feature rack caught my eyes. I picked up the book and found a quiet spot. Sitting on the comfortable couch, I started to peruse the book. Little did I know when I picked up the book that the authour- Gina DePalma, is the pastry chef of Mario Batali's Babbo Restaurant! (Ok, I am ignorant) Unlike many dessert books in the market, DePalma has a clear vision and sharp focus on what she wanted to convey. And it was Italian desserts. Not only did she manage to cram so many delicious sounding recipes in the book, it is also packed with stories and information. I think it will serve as a great reference for anyone who is interested in making or simply wanting to know more about Italian desserts.

Usually, I could easily finish reading a cookbook in one sitting. But not this book! I had a hard time digesting all the information the book offers. It feels almost like lovers who haven't met and talked for a decade! So I decided not to rush through it, and skipped to the section where the biscotti recipes are. And I did something that may not gain your approval. I copied the recipe of this biscotti. A very rough guide though, which consists of the ingredient list and simple instructions. Such is the distance I would go, to give you, my friends, the recipe of this fantas-bulous biscottis. I hope you will keep it to yourself. But certainly make it and share it with your loved ones.

Just save the part where your friend here risked being scorned by the store manager and other medical students to bring this recipe to you. Oh, and please, by all means, get a copy of Dolce Italiano. After trying the Mosaic Biscotti, I would strongly recommend this book to anybody who have a passion for Italian desserts.

Here's goes the gist of the recipe and my modified instructions:

Mosaic Biscottis
adapted from Dolce Italiano

3.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp granulated sugar for glaze (I used 1.5cups and it's the right sweetness for me)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups of pistachio, coarsely chopped
2 cups of hazelnuts, corsely chopped (I used 1.5 cups, because that's what I have left)
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used 1 pack (11.5oz)of Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate chips because I got it on offer :))
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 eggyolks, plus 1 eggwhite for glaze (optional), at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F.Line two large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the whole eggs, eggyolks and granulated sugar until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for a few seconds when you raise the whisk.

Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add the vanilla extract and the flour mixture. When it's well combined, add in the nuts and chocolate and stir by hand, using a large spatula.

Using the spatula as a guide, drop the dough by spoonful into a 2.5-inches wide and 18-inches long log directly onto the parchment paper. Slightly flatten it to 1/2-inch thick. Leave 2 inches space between logs.*** Brush eggwash over logs. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until logs are just firm to the toch, 20-24 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely, about 40 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 200F. (I wasn't very patient, so I stick with 300F. This way the biscottis will dry fasterin the second bake)

When the logs are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut biscotti log on the diagonal, into 1/4-inch thick, or if you like, 3/4-inch thick (which is more durable to be send off as care package.

Arrange slices on the baking sheet and bake until biscottis are firm to the touch and completely dry. 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully turn the biscottis to the other side and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until dry.

Remove pans from the oven;Let biscottis cool completely on the rack. They can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. I keep them in the freezer when I don't feel like sharing with others. They can be kept there for months.

*** Note: you can also shape the dough into individual log before baking. But I find it easier to just drop the dough onto the parchment paper to form a log. It's less messy this way. Especially when the dough is sticky.

Tip: If you have baking racks, you can also place the biscottis on them for the second bake. This way, you don't need to turn them when one side has dried.

Suppose to make 4 dozen biscottis, (I have more than that!)

Read more...