Bittersweet Chocolate Biscotti Food

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside. Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs and cocoa powder. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour, the hazelnuts, and 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate with a wooden spoon.
• Divide the dough in half. Shape each portion into a 9" long roll. Place rolls 4 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet; slightly flatten each roll to 2 inches wide.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on cookie sheet for about 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325*F.
• Cut each roll diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices, slicing carefully with a serrated knife. Place slices, cut sides down, on cookie sheet.
• Bake in 325*F oven for 8 minutes. Carefully turn slices over and bake for 7-9 more minutes or until dry and crisp. Move to wire racks and let cool, about 1 hour.
• Makes 2 dozen.
• Microwave chopped chocolate and shortening in a small microwave-safe bowl on 50 percent power (medium) for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice(or you can melt in a small saucepan on the stovetop, just stir and watch carefully). Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate; let excess drip back into bowl. Place cookies on waxed paper; let sit until set.
• *Note: To toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 375*F oven for 4-5 minutes or until nuts are slightly golden brown, stirring once or twice. Wrap warm nuts in a clean kitchen towel. Rub nuts in towel to remove any loose skins; cool completely. Chop nuts and set aside.
• To Store: Place cookies in layers separated by pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen, before serving.

HAZELNUT BISCOTTI WITH BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 baking sheets with the butter. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Place 2 of the eggs, the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until blended. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture until blended. Fold in the chocolate and hazelnuts.
• Sprinkle a handful of flour onto a smooth surface. Transfer the dough onto the floured surface. Knead until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Shape the dough into 2 logs, 2 1/2 inches wide and 12 inches long. Place one log on each cookie sheet. Brush the top of each log with the lightly beaten egg. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Take them out of the oven. Cut the logs into 1-inch slices crosswise and lay them cut side down on the baking sheet. Return them to a 325-degree oven and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Cool on racks.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line large baking sheet with double thickness of foil. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in semisweet and white chips. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet in two 10- to 11-inch-long strips, spacing 3 inches apart. Using metal spatula or wet fingertips, shape strips into 11- by 2 1/2-inch logs. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake logs until tops are cracked and dry and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes; cool 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Using foil as aid, lift logs onto work surface. Line baking sheets with clean foil. Using serrated knife, gently cut warm logs crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange half of slices, cut side down, on each prepared baking sheet. Bake biscotti until just dry to touch, about 8 minutes. Turn biscotti over. Bake until top is dry to touch, about 8 minutes. Cool on sheets.

SINFUL CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine vanilla extract and espresso powder in a small bowl; mix until espresso powder is dissolved.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; mix in chocolate chips.
• Whisk vanilla mixture, sugar, eggs, and oil together in a large bowl. Add flour mixture; stir, by hand if needed, until dough comes together and is thick and stiff.
• Divide dough into 2 equal pieces and place onto the baking sheets. Shape each piece into a log as long as the baking sheet; press down with wet hands to about 1/2 inch thickness.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool until easily handled, about 5 minutes.
• Move cooled logs to a cutting board and slice into 1/2-inch long slices with a serrated knife. Return the slices to the baking sheets, placing them on their sides.
• Bake until dry, about 6 minutes per side. Remove from oven and let cool until hardened on wire racks.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then Grand Marnier and orange peel. Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate. Gather dough together; divide in half. Wrap in plastic and freeze 20 minutes to firm.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Using floured hands, form each dough piece into 14-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer parchment with logs to rack. Cool 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Place 1 log on cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut log on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stand slices upright on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining log.
• Bake biscotti until dry to touch and pale golden, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on rack. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in cocoa and baking powder. Beat for 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in flour by hand. Mix in white chocolate and chocolate chips. Cover dough, and chill for about 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide dough into two parts, and roll each part into a 9 inch long log. Place logs on lightly greased cookie sheet, about 4 inches apart. Flatten slightly.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool for one hour.
• Cut each loaf into 1/2 inch wide diagonal slices. Place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C) for 9 minutes. Turn cookies over, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line large baking sheet with double thickness of foil.
• Sift in salt, baking powder, cocoa and flour into a large bowl to blend.
• Beat in eggs one at a time and then vanilla.
• Beat in flour mixture.
• Stir in chocolate and white chocolate chips by hand.
• Heap dough into two long strips.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes (until tops are cracked).
• Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 300°.
• Using foil as an aide, lift logs onto work surface.
• Cut logs into 3/4 in pieces; arrange half of slices (cut side down) on each prepare baking sheet.
• Bake biscotti until just dry to touch (about 8 minutes).
• Turn biscotti and bake again for another 8 minutes.

BISCOTTI BITES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
• Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add granulated sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until well combined. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Then beat in coconut, grapefruit zest, and 5 ounces chocolate until evenly distributed.
• Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough, spaced 1 inch apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets set on wire racks.
• Melt remaining chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Dip bottoms of cooled cookies in melted chocolate, scrape off excess against rim of bowl, and set on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. The dipped cookies can be stored in a single layer in a cool place for up to a week.