Biscotti!

I love biscotti. They are not too sweet, and they are crunchy. I found this recipe in the Sunday paper many years ago. I haven't tasted a better chocolate biscotti. They always disappear whenever I bring them anywhere. The dough is very stiff, and a stand mixer is helpful to mix in the dry ingredients thoroughly. Aside from that, this is a really easy recipe to make. They are pictured at the far right in the photo above. The lighter ones are Lemon-Pistachio Biscotti, and I will post that recipe in a few days.


Chocolate Pecan Mandelbrot

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, miniature
1 cup pecan halves

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Rub a baking sheet with oil or line it with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients together in a bowl and stir to combine. With the mixer set on its lowest speed, mix in the dry ingredients until well mixed and the just until the nuts break up slightly.

Spoon the dough onto the prepared baking sheet in two strips, making sure there is plenty of room between them. Flatten and smooth the logs with a metal spatula so they are 12 inches long and about 4 inches wide. Transfer the baking sheet to the hot oven and bake the strips for 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes.

Carefully transfer the strips to a board. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the strips on a diagonal into ½ inch slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Return the sheet to the oven and bake the slices for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a rack. Store the cookies in an airtight container. Theoretically they will keep for a couple of weeks. Mine get eaten sooner than that.


From The Boston Sunday Globe Magazine