Recipe: Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Recipe

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

For a dressier biscuit, dip half the biscotti in melted white chocolate or coat one side with "No-Fail Fudge Frosting".

biscotti

1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup Dutch cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat together butter and sugar until light and smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat until smooth.
In another bowl, toss together flour, ground almonds, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and lightly beat until dough is formed. Gently stir in slivered almonds.
On lightly floured board, knead dough into ball and cut in half. Press each piece into a 10 x 4-inch loaf and transfer with a spatula to an uncoated baking sheet. Bake about 35 minutes, until set and dry. Cool on sheet 10 minutes and transfer to a board. Cut with a sharp knife into 1/2-inch slices across width. Return biscotti to sheet, cut-side up, and bake 10 minutes longer per side. Cool on racks and store.

Makes 30

No-Fail Fudge Frosting

This frosting bears a striking resemblance to the thick, sweet, prepared kind sold in containers in the supermarket

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoon butter
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave on high power, 1 minute, or in the top of double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat.
To the chocolate mixture, add 1 cup of the sugar, milk or half-and-half, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Gradually add remaining sugar, whisking until smooth and thickened to taste. Let sit about 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Makes 2-1/2 cups, enough for one 9-inch two-layer cake

Recipe from:

Totally Chocolate Cookbook
by Helene Siegel and Karen Gillingham
Illustrations by Bob Greisen and Carolyn Vibbert
$4.95 (paperback)
Celestial Arts 1996
Recipe reprinted by permission.