Dark Chocolate Biscotti Food

DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest together in a large bowl until combined. Using a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the walnuts. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, orange juice, oil, and vanilla extract together. Pour into the flour/butter mixture and gently mix together until everything is just barely moistened.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hands, knead lightly until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, about 8-10 times. If it's uncontrollably sticky, knead 1-2 more Tablespoon(s) of flour into the dough. Divide the dough in two and place each half onto a baking sheet. Shape each half into an 8×4-inch long rectangle, patting down until each is about 1/2 inch thick. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top and sides of each biscotti slab with egg wash.
• Bake for 25-26 minutes, or until the top and sides of the biscotti slabs are lightly browned. Remove from the oven, but do not turn off the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Once the slabs are cool enough to handle, cut each into 1 inch thick slices. Set slices cut sides upright, ¼ inch apart, on the baking sheets. Return to the oven to continue baking for 8 minutes. Turn biscotti over and bake other side for 8 minutes. The cookies will be slightly soft in the centers with harder edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before dipping in chocolate. The biscotti becomes crunchy as it cools. Save the baking sheets for the next step.
• Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or (carefully!) use the microwave. For the microwave, place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Dip each biscotti cookie in the melted chocolate and place back onto the baking sheets. Sprinkle with any additional orange zest if desired. Allow chocolate to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
• Biscotti will stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

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.

MEXICAN DARK CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a stand mixer. beat butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well. Remove bowl from mixer and with a spoon, add 1/2 of the flour mixture. Stir in milk and then add remaining flour mixture. Combine well.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board and form it into a ball. Halve it and form each half into a log approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Arrange logs on a buttered and floured baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
• Bake logs in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes or until they are firm all over and browned. Remove them from the oven, let cool a few minutes. On a cutting board, slice logs on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick. Arrange slices back on baking sheet and bake them approximately 10 minutes on each side or until golden throughout. Cool biscotti to room temperature. Store in airtight containers in single layers between waxed paper for up to 2 weeks.

DARK CHOCOLATE GINGER BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg, egg yolk, and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in vanilla and oil until well combined.
• With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in walnuts, chocolate and ginger by hand with a rubber spatula.
• With moistened hands, shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Transfer logs to a cutting board and with a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 16 slices, each 1/2-inch thick. Return slices to the baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning the biscotti over halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

ESPRESSO & DARK CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Set aside. Put the flour, sugars, baking powder and a good pinch of salt into a large bowl, then stir to combine.
• Whisk the oil, egg, vanilla extract and coffee together in a separate small bowl. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until you have a dry dough. Fold in 100g of the chocolate chips. Knead the dough until smooth - it will be quite dry, but if it's too difficult to knead, add another 1 tbsp water. Divide the dough in half, shaping each piece into a 25 x 8cm log, and transfer both to the prepared tray. Bake for 25-30 mins, then leave to cool on the tray for 15 mins.
• Reduce the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Slice the biscotti logs into 1-2cm-thick slices crosswise using a sharp knife, you should have about 16. Return to the tray and bake for 15-20 mins more, turning the tray around halfway through. Leave to cool slightly on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Melt the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave in 20-second bursts until smooth, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, then dip one end of the cooled biscotti into the melted chocolate. Transfer to a sheet of baking parchment and leave to set. Will keep in an airtight container for up to five days.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 18x13-inch baking sheet with cooking parchment paper.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 3 minutes or until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and cherries. Divide dough into thirds on lightly floured surface. Lightly flour hands, and shape each piece of dough into 12-inch long log. Place logs on baking sheet, 4 inches apart. Press down gently to flatten to 2 inches wide.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set, but still slightly soft. Place baking sheet on cooling rack; cool completely, about 1 hour. Transfer to cutting board and, with serrated knife, cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices cut side down on ungreased large cookie sheets, 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until tops are dry. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave vanilla baking chips and shortening uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Transfer melted chips to small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut small corner from one end of bag. Drizzle over biscotti. Let stand until drizzle is set, about 30 minutes.
• Store in tightly covered container.

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.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE & ORANGE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the flour, cocoa, ground almonds, sugar, chocolate chips, candied peel, orange zest and a pinch of salt into a large bowl, and mix well. Make a well in the centre, then add the nutmeg (if using), egg and vanilla extract. Use your hands to bring the mix together, kneading it firmly.
• Shape the biscotti dough into a log approximately 15cm x 5cm x 2.5cm deep. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking parchment, then bake for 30 mins until firm to the touch (the log will split and crack a little on the top).
• Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 mins. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the log into slices 1-1.5cm thick.
• Put the biscotti back on the baking tray and reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Bake for 30 mins or until the biscotti are completely hard to touch. Cool completely, then wrap in baking parchment or store in an airtight container.