Countdown to Christmas Day 7: Triple Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

I can't believe it's already Dec 7th and we are almost a third of the way through the countdown to Christmas baking! Hopefully you have enjoyed the sweets I have posted so far and will continue to check out my blog as Christmas draws near. There are still some pretty fabulous recipes that I will be sharing with you. I was in Michaels the other day buying some baking supplies when the Wilton Cookie Exchange book caught my eye. After flipping through several of the recipes and looking at all of their elaborately decorated extravagant Christmas cookies I had to buy this book. Afterall, it isn't Christmas without an assortment of cookies. So to start my cookie baking I wanted to try a recipe I have never made before, biscotti.


Biscotti means "twice-baked" cookies. Once you make the cookie dough you form it into a log and bake it once. You then remove the log from the oven and allow to cool before cutting it up into pieces and putting back in the oven to bake a second time. This allows the cookies to become hardened and dry so that they can store for a long period of time.


Triple Chocolate Walnut Biscotti (adapted from Wilton Cookie Exchange book)

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. In small bowl, combine eggs, butter and vanilla.
  
• With electric mixer on low speed, gradually add egg mixture to flour mixture; mix until well blended.
  
• Stir in 1/4 cup white chocolate and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
  
• On lightly floured work surface, knead dough until smooth. Roll into a 12 in log; place in middle of prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake 25-28 minutes or until firm to the touch.
• Cool log 30 minutes on cookie sheet. Slice into 1/2 in. thick pieces.
• Place slices cut side up on cookie sheet.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
  
• Bake biscotti an additional 15-20 minutes or until firm. Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet; remove to cooling grid to cool completely.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate. (optional)
  
• Makes about 2 dozen biscotti.
  

These biscotti are the perfect compliment to a morning cup of coffee, or in my case hot chocolate since I'm not a coffee drinker. So if you have an upcoming holiday brunch this month, these biscotti are sure to be a hit at your party! Or maybe you could make a batch and take in to work for your co-workers to enjoy with their morning coffee.

ENJOY!