eat me if you like chocolate a lot a lot

Oh my goodness. These are good. No, like really good. And it's kinda monumental that I actually made a cookie not in bar-form! Leah kinda crushed my pride, though, when she reminded me that biscotti are, in fact, formed into a long bar before they are cut into slices. Fine, fiiiine. But hey now, I feel like I deserve at least some credit for deviating from the 13x9 pan. :)

So the inspiration for this recipe came from two sources: 1. Foodgakwer.com, a phenomenal site where all your food-blogging dreams can come true, and 2. The lonely-looking almonds sitting in the back of my cupboard. And really, what can get better than sweet decadant chocolate and lightly salted almonds? Not much, my friends, not much.

Actually...I could think of a few things that are better than the chocolate + almond combination, but this mix is pretty dang good. So let's not question deliciousness, okay? :)

So those of you who might be intimidated by biscotti.....do not fear! Bascially, it's just like an ordinary cookie except you mold the dough in log-form (as pictured above...and which looks like something questionable, use your imagination), bake 'em, slice 'em, and then bake 'em again. My grandma is an expert biscotti-baker, but she would shudder if she knew that I made them chocolately. She makes biscotti using anise extract, which is the traditional Italian way to bake up these treats. Don't get me wrong, they are so so delicious, but we all need a little chocolate in our lives, right? And especially with Valentine's Day right around the corner.

But really, though, whoever invented the biscotti....Mr. Biscotti, or whoever, probably rolls over in his grave every time a chocolate biscotti is baked. Yes, chocolate biscotti could be a form of heresy, but I'm willing to risk that.

Sheesh. Look at all those biscotti...layin' around on that baking pan without shame, like they gots no care in the world. They should be ashamed of themselves.

So if you end up making these puppies, really let them cool for awhile before slicing them. I was a little too eager to get these done, so I started slicing too early, resulting in a few broken biscotti. Anita and I took care of those no prob, though...

...and then we proceeded to schmear some peanut butter on those broken biscotti. Because......SAY IT WITH ME....everything is better with peanut butter on it!

This is fact.


And here they are, the biscotti beauties!!! I didn't second-bake them for the full 10 minutes like the recipe said, though, because I didn't want them super hard and crunchy.

Ohhh, they're like...a Lincoln Log house of biscotti! Or a new version of Jenga! Sigh.....yessss, I play with my food. I suppose I'll never really grow up.


Chocolate Almond Biscotti

adapted from Gourmet, December 1994

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted and cooled
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter and flour a large baking sheet.

In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until combined well. Stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Stir in almonds and chocolate chips.

On prepared baking sheet with floured hands form dough into one slightly flattened log, about12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Bake log 35 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool biscotti on baking sheet 5 minutes.

On a cutting board cut biscotti diagonally into 3/4-inch slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool biscotti on a rack. Biscotti keep in airtight containers 1 week and frozen, 1 month.