Top | Desserts

Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut Biscotti

(recipe, Katie Hickey)

Introduction

From cooking light. I make them every Christmas

Ingredients

1. ½ cup hazelnuts
2. ½ cup port or other sweet red wine
3. ½ cup dried cherries
4. ½ cup packed brown sugar $
5. 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6. 1½ tsp. vanilla extract $
7. 1 large egg $
8. 1 large egg yolk $
9. 4½ oz. all-purpose flour (about 1 cup) $
10. ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
11. 1 Tbsp. instant espresso powder
12. 1½ tsp. baking powder
13. ¼ tsp. salt

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. 2. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, stirring once. Turn nuts out onto a towel. Roll up towel; rub off skins. Chop nuts.
3. 3. Pour wine in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Add cherries, and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain well.
4. 4. Place sugar and chocolate in a food processor; process until chocolate is finely ground.
5. 5. Place vanilla, egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 1 minute). Add sugar mixture; beat 1 minute.
6. 6. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients, and stir with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating until blended. Add hazelnuts and cherries; beat just until blended. (The dough will be very stiff.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly several times. Divide dough in half; shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; pat each roll to a 1-inch thickness. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.
7. 7. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
8. 8. Cut each roll diagonally into 12 slices. Place, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Cool completely on wire rack.