Monday, February 8, 2010

Hazelnut Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

There are so very many biscotti recipes floating around out there that it's downright confusing!
And not only that, but it seems like every country has their own recipe for biscotti, calling it a different name, of course.

Now biscotti is biscotti in Italy, only it's also known as cantucci. Then there's the Jewish version called kamish bread or mandelbrot, then Germany has zwieback, the French have biscotte, the Greeks have paximadia, the Russians, sukariki! One thing's for sure, it's a popular cookie.
Some recipes use butter, some oil, some neither. And this brings us to this recipe I found in the cookbook from the Brooklyn bakery"Baked, New Frontiers in Baking". You probably know it from their famous brownie recipe..the one Oprah loved!

I try to be open minded about different biscotti recipes. I guess my thought is that maybe there's a better one out there than the one I'm using so I give another one a try.

This recipe, using no fat, really has great flavor so if you like hazelnuts and cinnamon with a sprinkling of chocolate you'll like this one. There's just one thing you should remember. The longer you keep the biscotti in the oven for the second baking, the harder it will get. Now if you love hard, dunkable biscotti, then this one's for you. If not, just cut your second baking down by about half the time. It will still be kind of on the hard side, since there's no fat used in the recipe so just keep that in mind.

Begin by whisking the sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.
In a mixer bowl, beat eggs and sugar mixture. Then add the vanilla.
Add the flour in 2 batches.


Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.


Place the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a log.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Take the log out of the oven and let it cool 10 minutes.
Turn your oven down to 325. Make sure the oven temperature is down to the 325.
Cut into 3/4" slices. Rebake.

Hazelnut Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 14 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cups blanched hazelnuts, toasted
1 3/4 cups ( 10 oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips
1 large egg white
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar mixture together until the color is uniform and the mixture is thick.
3. Add the vanilla and beat for 5 seconds.
4. Add the flour in 2 batches and beat til just combined. Scrape down the bowl and miz for a few seconds more.
5. Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips and beat til just combined.
6. Turn the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and shape into a log 16" x 3 1/2" x 3/4 " thick. Smooth the surface of the dough.
7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until firm but not browned. Cool in pan 10 minutes.
8. Turn down the oven temp. to 325. (Make sure the oven temp. is at the correct 325 temp.)
9. Whisk egg white and 2 tbsp. water and brush onto top of the log.
Cut into 3/4" slices and place slices, cut side down and bake 6 minutes on one side. Turn slices over and bake 6 minutes on other side. Transfer slices to wire rack and cool completely.
Biscotti will keep in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.





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