COOKIES - CHOCOLATE WALNUT BISCOTTI

Makes 60 biscotti

3 large eggs

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) butter, melted

1 cup coarsely chopped walnut pieces, about 4 ounces

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, 12 ounces

2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into cup and level off top to measure)

¼ cup alkalized cocoa powder

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cookie sheets or jelly-roll pans lined with parchment or foil

Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350F/177C.

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and salt until liquid.  Whisk in sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Whisk in melted butter, then stir in nuts and chips.

Combine flour with cocoa, baking powder, and cinnamon and sift over batter.  Fold in until all the flour is absorbed.  The dough will be very soft.

Spoon dough onto prepared pan to form two separate logs, each about 1 inch thick, 2 ½ inches wide, and about 15 inches long.  Use a rubber or metal spatula to adjust the shape if necessary.

Bake the logs about 30 minutes, or until well risen and firm when pressed with a fingertip.  Cool on pan to room temperature.

Use a sharp serrated knife to slice baked logs diagnolly every ¼ to ½ inch.  Return biscotti to pan, cut side down, and bake up to 20 minutes longer, or until biscotti are crisp and dry.  Cool on pan. 

STORAGE:  Keep in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.

MY NOTE:  The recipe is straight forward and fairly simple.  The dough is very sticky so I use plastic wrap to form the logs.

From Chocolate by Nick Malgieri.