Sunday Edition: Chocolate Biscotti

Experts say a nutritious breakfast is an essential way to start the day. Hopefully chocolate is included under the broad umbrella of nutritious because I'm in love with this biscotti. In fact, I pretty much adore any gourmet version and have tried baking many different recipes myself. Most of the time I add either chopped almonds or walnuts to give the cookie a little extra crunch, but they taste just as good if you choose not to include any.

If you are unfamiliar with biscotti it is a twice-baked cookie consisting of mainly flour. sugar, and eggs. The first baking is done in a loaf form while the second baking is done after slicing the loaf. The result is a hard crunchy rectangle that is perfect for dunking in a cup of coffee (my preference) or glass of wine. This helps moisten the cookie and makes it easier to bite while also enhancing the different flavors.

I am partial to Dorie Greenspan's recipes because the biscotti tends to be a little flakier than other recipes I've tried, which can be quite rough on the teeth when trying to take a bite. Also, I love the chocolate versions because I think they are an excellent compliment to a strong cup of coffee. Many different varieties exist and once you get the basic recipe down it's easy to make flavor substitutions. One of my favorite non-chocolate biscotti recipes is a cinnamon pumpkin one that I make in the fall.

Do any of you share my morning sweet tooth? What are some of your favorite breakfast treats?

Chocolate Biscotti

From "Baking, From My Home To Yours", by Dorie Greenspan.

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped almonds, blanched or unblanched
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
sugar, for dusting

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes; the mixture may be crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes; don't worry if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until a dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the chopped nuts and chocolate, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead in any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into 12 inch long logs. Flatten both logs with the palm of your hand so that they are 1/2 to 1 inch high, about 2 inches across and sort of rectangular, then carefully lift the logs onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle each log with a little sugar.

Bake the logs for about 25 minutes, or until they are just slightly firm. The logs will spread and crack - and that's just fine. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and cool the logs for about 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)

Working with one log at a time, using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between 1/2 and 3/4 inch thick. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet - you'll have an army of biscotti - and bake the cookies again, this time for just 10 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.