Taste the ultimate crunch with this Almond dark chocolate biscotti recipe

If you are a pro baker you might not need these tips but for those new to baking biscuits especially the Italian kind, we’re talking about biscotti, then you might want to go through these tips and tricks to be abreast with the common goof-ups associated with this delicious coffee-time treat.

Troubleshooting for Biscotti

• Squishy Biscotti

This happens when you don’t let the freshly baked biscotti log cool enough. Anything freshly out of the oven tends to be soft and takes time to harden. If you try to slice it right away, the log will squish and you’ll have jagged biscuits. The same applies to the nuts too, the hotter they are, the softer they tend to be, especially the freshly roasted ones, let them cook before chopping.

• Skipping the second baking stage

You might think what’s the difference? I’m making something close to a cookie, why do I need to double-bake? There’s a reason for the double bake, at a relatively lower temperature. This allows the freshly sliced biscotti to dry out completely, any moisture will evaporate and make it super crispy and golden.

• Overdoing the dough

While folding the mixed ingredients, especially the dry and wet ones together, make sure not to go crazy with the dough. Mix just enough to mix otherwise you’ll have a sticky mess difficult to deal with. The dough will be soft initially, allow it to rest to develop the elasticity you need instead of getting impatient and adding more flour to get the perfect golden and crisp biscotti.

Almond Dark chocolate biscotti

Ingredients:

•  250 gm all-purpose flour

•  1 ½ tsp baking powder

•  ¼ tsp salt

•  2 eggs, room temperature

•  145 gm packed light brown sugar

•  zest of one lemon

•  60 ml olive oil

•  ½ tsp almond extract

•  115 gm dark chocolate chips

•  65 gm dried figs, chopped

•  110 gm whole almonds

•  1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

•  Coarse sugar for sprinkling

•  115 gm Cadbury Bournville 70% Dark Chocolate, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, then line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add eggs, and sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick and light. Then whisk in the olive oil, lemon zest, and almond extract.
3. To another bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and whisk to mix. Sprinkle it over the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the dry flour streaks are gone.
4. Fold the dried figs, chocolate chips, and almonds into the sticky batter until evenly distributed.
5. Divide dough into half and transfer to a lightly floured workstation. Also, apply flour to your hands, to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
6. Roll each dough into a 12-inch log. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet keeping them at least three inches apart. Proceed to flatten the logs until 2.5 inches wide and around ¾-inch high.
7. Apply the egg wash to the flattened logs, then sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake for 25 minutes until the biscotti turns golden brown. Don’t switch off the oven. Remove from the oven and cool the biscuits on a wire rack, for 30 minutes to firm up.
9. Reduce oven temperature to 150°C. Then using a sharp serrated knife, slice the biscuit logs diagonally into ½-inch pieces. Arrange them back on the baking sheet, with them standing right-side-up.
10. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the biscuits turn crispy. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before dipping in melted dark chocolate. Enjoy with a side of coffee.

Biscotti FAQs

Now that the recipe is out of the way, here are some FAQs regarding biscotti from slicing, ingredients, and more.

• A sharp serrated knife is specifically mentioned to slice the biscotti because that is the standard way to slice the Italian biscuit, like a saw. If you’re thinking you’ll have to go the aggressive route, that won’t be the case, a gentle motion will do the trick.
• Soft nuts in biscotti are a strict no, the texture is out of place for the biscuits are crunchy. This recipe calls for toasted almonds but you can easily substitute with roasted hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, or pecans.
• You can munch the biscotti as is, or have it like the Italians love, pairing it with a steaming cup of coffee, espresso, or latte for breakfast.
• This recipe is free-proof and you can store the cooled biscuits in a sealed freezer bag for two to three months.