by Heena
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my 18 recipes »
Heena's Notes:
Expand2 cups all-purpose flour Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon baking soda Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 teaspoons salt Ask a question about this ingredient
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup granulated sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
2 large eggs Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 cups bittersweet chocolate, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 cups toasted walnuts/pecans, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate (for chocolate swirls. I sometimes use half white chocolate for contrast) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot wate Ask a question about this ingredient
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Ask a question about this stepWhisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Ask a question about this stepIn another large bowl, beat the butter with a stand mixer or a hand mixer at medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
Ask a question about this stepAdd the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and pale.
Ask a question about this stepBeat in the eggs, one by one, incorporating one completely before adding another. Beat in the espresso.
Ask a question about this stepSwitch the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients, beating only until incorporated. Don't overwork the dough.
Ask a question about this stepStir in the chopped chocolate and nuts with a sturdy rubber spatula.
Ask a question about this stepUsing moistened hands, halve the dough and form 2 (15-by 2-inch) loaves on an the baking sheet, spacing the logs 3 inches apart. (I roll the dough gently with my hands to get an elongated rope and then shaped it, gently stretching and flattening into logs.)
Ask a question about this stepBake in the preheated oven until it is mostly firm to the touch, about 25 mins.
Ask a question about this stepTake the sheet out of the oven and cut the logs crosswise with a sharp serrated knife into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices on the second baking sheet, cut side down. Bake until firm and crisp, about 5 mins on each side.
Ask a question about this stepTransfer the cookies to a rack and cool. Don’t discard the baking sheet with its parchment paper.
Ask a question about this stepOnce the cookies and baking sheet are completely cool, transfer the cookies back to the sheet. Melt the chocolate and espresso over simmering water in a double boiler or using 20-second short bursts in a microwave (about 1 minute in total). Transfer the chocolate to a piping or zip-lock bag. Snip off a small portion at the tip and drizzle the chocolate over the cookies. Cool completely until the chocolate is firm. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper. They will keep for up to a week, if they last that long.
Ask a question about this stepI just made a slightly more austere version of these, and they turned out beautifully. I didn't have espresso powder; instead I simply used a teaspoon of ground coffee-- the kind with cardamom ground into it, for Turkish coffee-- and I used half the amount whole wheat flour. Many thanks for this recipe!
Wow, these look divine. Do these stay still quite soft and chewy inside? Soft biscotti are one of my weaknesses, even though they're usually meant to be quite crispy!
Oh wow. These will be a part of our Easter brunch. And I think I'll wrap up a few for the grownups to take home.
Mollie is the best-selling author of many (mostly) vegetarian cookbooks, including the original Moosewood Cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, and a trilogy of cookbooks for kids. Her most recent title is Get Cooking : 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen.
Oh! Just the dough was delicious! I'm surprised any of it made it to the oven. I just did chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. yum yum....