Triple-Chocolate Biscotti, from Gael

Triple-Chocolate Biscotti, from Gael

This is my favorite biscotti recipe. Mom likes it too. Too hard to eat plain, but great dipped in hot coffee or tea.

1 3/4 cups hazelnuts
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark coffee beans, ground fine
2/3 cup chocolate chips
5 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat the oven to 325. Toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes. If they still have skins, cover the nuts with a dishtowel or paper towels for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven, and then rub the nuts with the towel to remove the skins. (Note: This never works well for me, don’t worry about it.) Set aside to cool.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and ground coffee beans into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Combine these ingredients on medium-low speed and then toss in the nuts and chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the egg mixture to the mixing bowl and mix until the dough comes together. Remove the bowl from the mixer and mix in any remaining dry ingredients from the bottom by hand. Make four logs. Bake the logs at 325 for 30 to 35 minutes until the sides are firm, the tops are cracked, and the dough inside the cracks no longer looks wet. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Cut the logs on a slight diagonal into 3/4" thick slices. Place the biscotti flat on the baking sheet and dry them in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the biscotti offer resistance when pressed. Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool. Can frost with melted dark or white chocolate. Peel the biscotti from the parchment and store in an airtight container.