Chocolate chip Walnut biscotti

Hey everyone,
Sorry for the delay in the post - it's been two weeks, I know. But, life can be quite crazy when you are trying to publish a paper, hoping to pass a committee meeting, and working to get new data.

So I hope I can appease your anger with this little recipe adapted from joyofbaking.com - chocolate chip walnut biscotti (she uses almonds, which are equally delicious) - it certainly does the job in the lab. It goes great with coffee, and who can say no to a good cup of joe? The biscotti is an italian cookie that is double baked to give it its crisp texture.

This recipe was extremely easy to make and I highly recommend trying it. I was able to also cut down the sugar by half and it was still decadent.

I've attached the recipe from joyofbaking.com with my modifications.

Chocolate chip Walnut Biscotti*
Adapted from joyofbaking.com (an excellent site!)

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup - 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (depends on how much you love walnuts - I love them!)
1 3/4 cup all purpose unbleached flour

Yield: One log can give around 8-10 pretty thick cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking pad (these are really awesome - I have one and I use it all the time for cookies etc., and it doesn't stick :) )

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugar, and beat with an electric mixer on high until they form ribbons. Add the vanilla at this point and beat some more until well mixed

3. Sift in flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the chopped toasted walnuts and chocolate chips and mix well until it comes together. You will need your hands for this.

4. Form a log about 10-12 inches long by patting it down and put it on the baking sheet. The dough will be sticky.

5. Bake at 350 F for 50 min until the outside is firm. Here's what it'll look like:

 6. Cut the log into strips, lay them on their side on the same baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes on one side and then repeat on the other.

7. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

8. Serve with a delicious cup of coffee, but it's great on it's own.



Now, you no longer have to suffer through those long lines in coffee shops for biscotti. You can make them yourself, and really impress your friends.

And now I can happily delve into my long research papers with a piece of biscotti and I sign off with the usual - If I can make it, anyone can.


Seriously - I'm not kidding!

I promise to be back next week with more delicious baked goods, so stay tuned.

* Update - 10/17/10
Other flavors I've tried
- Orange chocolate chip biscotti (Add the zest of one orange - I love me some orange zest)
- Lemon Almond Biscotti (Add the zest of 4-5 lemons in the batter and 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds - a lot but the zest from 2 lemons didn't give enough flavor when I made it)

Thanks,
Kartik