Chocolate biscotti with hazelnuts
This simple twice baked chocolate biscotti recipe has a perfect crunch and crispy texture and makes them ideal for dunking into your favourite hot beverage.
Servings: 72 biscottis
Ingredients:
1 cup hazelnuts raw
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees (Position rack in the center)
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 12-15minutes, or until skins begin to crack. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel for a few minutes. rub hazelnuts together to remove skin.
Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, sift and whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt) Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachement, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time
Add vanilla extract
Add flour mixture to egg mixture with a wooden spoon until just incorporated (do not over mix)
Fold in choppeed hazelnuts and chopped chocolate
Divide dough into quarters. Place each quarter on the cookie sheet, shaping each into a 15 inch log. Flatten each biscotti log until 1 1/2 inches wide.
Transfer to a cutting board
Use a serrated knife, slice cookies at an angle about 1/2 inch thick.
Place the sliced cookies back on the baking sheets and return them to the oven for about another 20-30 minutes (the longer they stay in the oven, the crispier they get) Turn them over at around the 10 minute mark
Remove from oven and enjoy!
Tasha's jam filled cookies
My daughter Tasha just arrived for the holidays from University and took over the kitchen. She made a million of these cookies and well you can’t just have one. The coconut makes it nutty and sweet and the flavours of the different jams are mouth watering.
Makes 32 cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 Lb unsalted butter 9room temperature)
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water for egg wash
6 -8 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
strawberry, apricot, or raspberry jam (your choice)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until they are combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in saran wrap and chill for 25 minutes.
Roll the dough into 1 oz balls. Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and make an indent with your finger. Drop 1/4 tsp of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the coconut is a golden brown colour. Cool and serve.