Mocha Cherry Almond Biscotti Recipes

MOCHA ALMOND BISCOTTI WITH CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Dissolve coffee crystals in the hot water.
• Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs and coffee in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with a spoon.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• On an ungreased cookie sheet or parchment paper, shape the dough into two 10x3 rectangles (each should be about 3/4 to 1 inch thick).
• Bake about 30 minutes or until center is firm to the touch.
• Cool 15 minutes on the cookie sheet.
• Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices.
• Place slices cut side down, in rows on a cookie sheet. (can be touching to fit them all on the sheet).
• Bake 7-8 minutes, then flip them over and bake another 7-8 minutes. The edges should be light brown and the biscotti should be crisp when done.
• Immediately remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack.
• When completely cool, melt the chocolate and shortening together (either in the microwave (but be careful not to over heat it or it will scorch) or in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of boiling water (for a quasi double-boiler)).
• Drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti using a spoon.
• When cool, enjoy with a cup of coffee.

CHERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir dried cherries and amaretto liqueur together in a saucepan over medium heat until the amaretto comes to a simmer; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid for later use.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Beat butter with 1 cup sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat 3 eggs into butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, blending in each egg before adding the next. Stir reserved cherry liquid and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients.
• Beat butter with 1 cup sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat 3 eggs into butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, blending in each egg before adding the next. Stir reserved cherry liquid and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients.
• Stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients a little at a time to form a smooth dough. Gently fold cherries and almonds into dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, divide in half, and form each half into a log 12 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Gently press the logs with your fingers to flatten to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Transfer loaves to the prepared baking sheets, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle each with 1 1/2 tablespoon white sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the loaves are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire racks and cool for 20 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice each loaf on the diagonal into 16 pieces. Transfer the biscotti to baking sheets. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Bake in the oven for 8 minutes; flip biscotti and bake until crisp and lightly browned, about 8 more minutes.

CHERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet.
• 2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
• 3. Crack and place eggs in a small bowl. Add extracts.
• 4. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 - 4 minutes. Beat in eggs with extracts one at a time until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrap down sides of bowl as needed.
• 5. Reduce the mixer speed to low (very important) and slowly mix in the flour mixture until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stir in almonds and chopped cherries and incorporate any remaining flour on sides of bowl.
• 6. Using floured hands, split the dough in half. On the parchment lined baking sheet roll or press each half into two logs 12-13 inches long and about 3 inches wide. Placing logs about 3 inches apart. Sprinkle with course sugar crystals and lightly press into loaf.
• 7. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and just beginning to crack on top about 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
• 8. Remove loaf from oven and place the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• 9. Place the loaf on a cutting board (remember not the side of the cutting board used for onions or garlic!) and slice each loaf into 3/4 inch thick slices using a serrate knife or a very sharp knife. Lay the slices cut side down about 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet.
• 10. Bake 12 - 14 minutes and then turn the slices over bake another 12 - 14 minutes until the slices are crisp and golden brown. Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving, about 30 minutes.
• 11. OPTIONAL - Prepare after biscotti has cooled. In a small saucepan heat and stir chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white baking squares and 1 TBS shortening over low heat until smooth. Dip bottom edge of each cookie into the melted chocolate or drizzle the chocolate over the top of the biscotti. Let stand until set.

MOCHA-ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• 1. Place almonds on ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 370 degrees for 5-7 minutes in a preheated oven. Meanwhile whisk the first 4 dry ingredients together in a large bowl or large measuring cup.
• 2. In a second measuring cup whisk eggs and vanilla together. Form a well in the dry flour. Then add wet mixture to the dry mixture in the larger bowl and mix until it resembles course cornmeal. Wash out the small measuring cup.
• 3. Place 1 T of water and baking square in the small measuring cup and heat in the microwave for 1 minute.
• 4. When the chocolate is melted add another 2 T of water and 1 T of instant coffee and blend with a fork. Then add 1/4 cup cocoa and blend into a paste.
• 5. Now carefully divide dough and spoon 1/2 of the dough from large measuring cup into the small measuring cup with the chocolate paste. There will be about 2 and 1/2 cupps in each measuring cup at this point.
• 6. To the large measuring cup add almonds and almond extract. If the nuts are warm the dough blends together nicely.
• 7. Blend the chocolate paste into the basic vanilla dough. It may be neccessary to knead it to break up clumps. Once the chocolate is mixed in completely divide the chocolate into two long thick loaves and place on a surface that won't stick. A baking sheet or cutting board that is lightly floured works well.
• 8. Wash excess choc dough off your hands and blend the almond dough placing two thick loaved directly onto the choc loaves. Now begin pressing and streching until both loaves are long and flat. Dont let the loaves extend beyond 4 inches and keep it even so the loaves will bake evenly. Flip and press then transfer to baking stone.
• 9. Bake loaved at 375 degrees for 25 minute. Let stand 5 minutes and remove with two splatulas if needed to avoid breaking. Let cool 20 minutes.
• 10. Cut each loaf into angled slices ( 12-15 each about 1 inch wide. Decrease temp in the oven to 325. Place each peice up and stagger to allow even cooking. Sometimes I place on one side and flip them half way through the cooking time. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

CHERRY-ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat cherries and liqueur in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cherries have softened, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. If liquid equals less than 2 tablespoons, add enough liqueur to make 2 tablespoons.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Mix in reserved cherry liquid and the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in cherries and almonds.
• On a lightly floured surface, halve dough. Shape each half into a 12 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch log. Flatten logs to 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Brush logs with beaten egg; sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
• Bake 35 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks to cool, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Cut each log on the diagonal into 16 to 18 pieces. Transfer pieces to racks, laying them on sides. Set racks on baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes; flip. Bake 8 minutes more. Let cool until crisp.