In preparation for the holidays when both girls were at home, and we would be foraging for interesting treats in the kitchen, I bought massive amounts of groceries. In most cases, I planned correctly and didn't have a lot of leftover ingredients, but in others I went hog wild for no apparent reason. I had bought way too much buttermilk and now have a one-quart container in the fridge—what to do. I'll be using most of it to brine a chicken, but I used some this morning to make biscuits. I also miscalculated heavily on the amount of chocolate we would need, and now I have bars and bars of Ghiradelli dark and semi-sweet stacked up. Good thing it keeps.
Yesterday, I decided to use some of that up in biscotti. I had intended to make this the week of Christmas and never found the time, so now I have a batch for no special occasion. Correction—for the occasion of enjoying a biscotti with a mid-morning coffee break all by myself. I love the stuff.
Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti
1 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
semisweet chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 300Ëš. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Place one quarter of the flour mixture and the chocolate pieces in a food processor and process until fine. Combine with remaining flour mixture and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together eggs, egg whites, sugar, vanilla and almond extract until frothy. Slowly stir in flour mixture and dried cherries.
Spoon batter into three 12-2 1/2 inch rectangles about 3 inches apart (2 on one cookie sheet, and 1 on the other). Even out the shapes with a wet knife. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Cut each rectangle into 1/2-inch diagonal slices and place them cut side down on baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn and bake 12 more minutes. Cool on wire racks and drizzle with melted chocolate.
Yesterday, I decided to use some of that up in biscotti. I had intended to make this the week of Christmas and never found the time, so now I have a batch for no special occasion. Correction—for the occasion of enjoying a biscotti with a mid-morning coffee break all by myself. I love the stuff.
Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti
1 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
semisweet chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 300Ëš. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Place one quarter of the flour mixture and the chocolate pieces in a food processor and process until fine. Combine with remaining flour mixture and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together eggs, egg whites, sugar, vanilla and almond extract until frothy. Slowly stir in flour mixture and dried cherries.
Spoon batter into three 12-2 1/2 inch rectangles about 3 inches apart (2 on one cookie sheet, and 1 on the other). Even out the shapes with a wet knife. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Cut each rectangle into 1/2-inch diagonal slices and place them cut side down on baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn and bake 12 more minutes. Cool on wire racks and drizzle with melted chocolate.
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