Chocolate Chile Biscotti Food

CHOCOLATE, CHERRY AND CHILE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Position the racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 350º F.
• Using a hand-held electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest in a large bowl until well combined, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, chili powder, and salt to combine. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in the butter mixture. Work in the chocolate, walnuts, and cherries.
• Divide the dough in half. Using lightly floured hands on a floured work surface, form the dough into two 10 X 2-inch logs. Place the logs on an ungreased large baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake on the center rack until set and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
• Using a serrated knife and a sawing motion, carefully cut the logs into diagonal slices about 1/2 inch wide. Place the slices on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until the undersides of the biscotti are beginning to brown at the edges, about 8 minutes. Turn the biscotti over. Switch the positions of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking until lightly browned on the other side, about 8 minutes more.
• Cool completely on baking sheets. (The biscotti can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, cooled, and tightly covered in an airtight container at room temperature.)
• Reprinted from Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family by Art Smith.

CHOCOLATE CHILE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and chile powder on medium-low speed until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.
• Increase the speed to medium. With the mixer running, add the eggs, 1 at a time, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed, then add the vanilla extract. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.
• Turn the speed to low and, with the mixer running, add the flour mixture a little at a time. Continue mixing until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed, then add the cashews and chocolate chips all at once. Keep mixing until the cashews and chocolate have integrated and a thick dough has formed.
• Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a 12-inch log. (You can use a sheet of wax or parchment paper to help roll the dough evenly, or dust with extra flour if the dough is sticky.) Place both logs on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then flatten both logs with your palms until about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle each with a little granulated sugar to evenly coat.
• Bake until the logs lose their sheen, 20 to 25 minutes. There should still be some softness in the middle of each log when gently pressed. Be careful not to overbake, as the logs may break when sliced later.
• Turn off the oven, take out the biscotti and let cool on the sheet pan for a few hours. (The longer they rest, the easier they will be to slice without breaking.)
• For the second bake, heat the oven to 300 degrees. (The temperature is lower for gentler, more even baking.)
• Using a serrated knife, slice each log at an angle into ½-inch slices. You may trim and discard the ends or bake them along with the other slices - they taste just as good. Place the slices, cut sides down, on the same parchment-lined half-sheet pan. (You don't need to be careful about spacing them out.)
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the biscotti are no longer soft to the touch. They will harden a little further after cooling. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the pan. The biscotti will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a food processor, combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, process for a few seconds.
• Add butter and vanilla, process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Add chocolate chips and eggs and pulse until dough is evenly moistened.
• Divide dough into 4 equal pieces, press onto pans as logs.
• Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and cut into diagonal 1" slices.
• Turn slices on sides and return to oven for 5-10 minutes.
• Let cool.

CHOCOLATE-CHIP BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor-fashion, cut in the butter or margarine until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon beaten eggs into a cup; reserve. Add chocolate chips, walnuts, vanilla, and remaining beaten eggs to flour mixture; stir until evenly moistened. With hand, knead mixture a few times in bowl until dough forms.
• On floured surface, with floured hands, divide dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a 9" by 2" log. Place logs crosswise, 4 inches apart, on 2 large cookie sheets. With a pastry brush, brush tops and sides of logs with reserved egg. Bake logs 25 minutes. Cool logs on cookie sheets on wire rack 10 minutes.
• Place 1 log on cutting board. With serrated knife, cut warm log crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Place slices upright, 1/4-inch apart, on cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining logs. Bake slices 15 minutes to allow biscotti to dry out. Cool completely on sheets on wire racks. (Biscotti will harden as they cool.) Store biscotti in tightly covered container.