Saturday, March 13, 2010

Lazy Weekend Concoctions: Rainy Day Biscotti

Lazy Weekend Concoctions:
Great Rainy Weekend Recipe
Chocolate & Almond Biscotti



Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups blanched whole almonds
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 7/8 cup white sugar
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons whiskey

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Toast the almonds in a shallow pan for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan a few times, until almonds are lightly colored. Set aside to cool.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 or 3 cookie sheets with aluminum foil, shiny side up.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Place 1/2 cup of these dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Add about a half cup of the toasted almonds and process for about 30 seconds.
  • Return the mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir in the remaining almonds and chocolate chips. In a large measuring cup, beat the eggs, vanilla and whiskey with a fork to blend. Stir into the dry ingredients until moistened. Wet your hands and divide the dough into four portions. Keeping hands wet, form each quarter into strips about 9 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch high. Round the ends. Place two strips crosswise on each of the cookie sheets.
  • Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. If baking more that one sheet at a time, reverse the sheets top to bottom halfway through cooking time.
  • Using a metal spatula remove the slabs from cookie sheets and let cool for 20 minutes on cutting board. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees
  • Carefully cut at an angle into slices about 1/2 inch wide. Place the slices, cut side down, onto cookie sheets.
  • Bake 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the biscotti is crispy and lightly toasted.
  • Turn oven off and open the oven door, allowing the biscotti to cool in the oven. When cool, store in an airtight container.
Different topping ideas:
You can either leave them plain or you can add a little jazz to them!

You can dip it in chocolate & sprinkle crushed almonds on the melted chocolate.

Or you can drizzle chocolate over top of them!


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