Chocolate - Hazelnut Biscotti

Not knowing what to do with ¾ cup of hazelnuts, I browsed my cookbooks for a recipe. I stumbled upon Martha Stewart’s Chocolate – Hazelnut Biscotti from her ‘Baking Handbook’, and off I went. This is my second try at a biscotti recipe. My first was Nigella’s Breakfast Biscotti and I was very pleased with the result of making biscotti from scratch. They’re such a wonderful afternoon snack. They go perfectly with your coffee or tea, and you don’t feel like you’re over-indulging yourself. Going along with the chocolate & hazelnut flavors, I added 2 tablespoons of Nutella to the batter – yes, really – and they came out simply splendid! Rating 4+ out of 5.

Chocolate - Hazelnut Biscotti recipe: Martha Stewart - Baking Handbook

Ingredients: Makes 4 dozen (I used half of this recipe)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chunks (I used chocolate chips)
- 1 ½ cups (8 ounces) blanched hazelnuts
- 4 large whole eggs + 1 large egg white, lightly beaten (I omitted the egg white)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Sanding sugar or granulated sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Nutella (optional)

Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, 1 cup chocolate chunks and hazelnuts until chips and hazelnuts are the size of peas.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the whole eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface for a few seconds when you raise the whisk. Switch to the paddle attachment. With a mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and remaining 1 cup of chocolate chunks, and beat until just combined.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide into three equal pieces. Shape each piece into an 18-inch log. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. With the palm of your hand, gently press the logs to flatten lightly. Brush egg white over logs. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if using.
- Bake until logs are just firm to the touch, 20 to 24 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 20 minutes.
- Place logs on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut ¾-inch-thick slices on the diagonal. Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down, on the rack. Bake until biscotti are firm to the touch and completely dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from the oven; let biscotti cool completely on the rack.


Healthy hazelnuts, chopped & blanched.


My un-baked log.


The really wonderful thing about this Chocolate - Hazelnut Biscotti, is that when you dunk them into your coffee or tea, the cookie becomes so soft and will taste exactly like a fudgy brownie. Yum. Brownies!




I went shopping last week in one of my favorite Belgian cities, Hasselt, and I picked up these two delicious pastries at 'Cools Patisserie'.

Advokaat-liqueur pastry & chocolate dome filled with chocolate mousse. Happiness!!!

Comments

Lucie said…
This is quite the hazelnut-chocolate week! I fully support adding tablespoons of Nutella to anything, bravo!
Unknown said…
I'm ashamed to say that chocolate dome filled with mousse is distracting me from the lovely biscotti.
A Bowl Of Mush said…
I loveee biscotti just like this!!

Looks fab!
loove biscotti and with nutella they are too good!! great post !!!





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Anonymous said…
Wow, these look really tasty. :) I really love hazelnut (and nutella!) so looking at your biscotti kind of makes me hungry.

I'd like to try my hand at biscotti at some point, but to be honest it kind of intimidates me! I don't know why though.

Looks like it's the perfect treat for tea though.
Phuoc said…
Mmmm.. chocolate and hazelnut. Is there a better combo than that?

You biscotti looks lovely.. I think I need to make some soon :)
I <3 biscotti and adore hazelnuts. This makes me happy :).

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