Chocolate, Cherry and Chile Biscotti
"If you like biscotti, expand your palate a bit with these deliciously spicy cookies. Chocolate and chiles are old friends, and the cherries add sweet contrast. Candidates for dipping include full-bodied wines like Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, port, and espresso, and just plain old coffee, tea or milk!"
- Ready In:
- 1hr 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
10-14
ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large orange, zest of, grated
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons dried ancho chile powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate or 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1⁄2 cup dried cherries
directions
- Position the racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 350º F.
- Using a hand-held electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest in a large bowl until well combined, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, chili powder, and salt to combine. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in the butter mixture. Work in the chocolate, walnuts, and cherries.
- Divide the dough in half. Using lightly floured hands on a floured work surface, form the dough into two 10 X 2-inch logs. Place the logs on an ungreased large baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake on the center rack until set and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
- Using a serrated knife and a sawing motion, carefully cut the logs into diagonal slices about 1/2 inch wide. Place the slices on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until the undersides of the biscotti are beginning to brown at the edges, about 8 minutes. Turn the biscotti over. Switch the positions of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking until lightly browned on the other side, about 8 minutes more.
- Cool completely on baking sheets. (The biscotti can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, cooled, and tightly covered in an airtight container at room temperature.)
- Reprinted from Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family by Art Smith.
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Reviews
-
Another great tasting biscotti.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Click to feed animals I'm a retired teacher now living in the Jamaica Plain area of Boston. I have one daughter, 2 granddaughters, and 1 great-grandson(17 yo Dec '11)! I've travelled a bit throughout Europe and the U.S. as well as Honduras and Costa Rica. I think I may have some gypsy ancestors! I love to travel but am not able to anymore. So I do a LOT of reading instead. My current craft passion is knittng but I have dabbled in just about everything. I've done leaded glass work(stained glass), which I love; am working on counted cross stitch; and am willing to try any craft, at least once! I've also worked for a major insurance company as a case analyst. I have 2 cats, Teddy BB 11 .o. on the 19th of Feb, and CiCi who will be 5 years old on Mar 6th. src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/orn.jpg></p>
