Cappucino Biscotti with Hazelnuts and Chocolate

By Hklbrries

These crisp, twice baked Italian favorites are perfect for dunking in coffee, tea or hot chocolate. They’ll keep in an airtight container for two months.

The perfect recipe for holiday gift giving can be almost anything, as long as it comes from your kitchen – and from the heart. A favorite family recipe is a good place to start. A jar of jam or chutney canned when the fruits were at their peak is always welcome. A simple sugar cookie can look elegant with a dusting of sprinkles, especially if it’s tied up in a small bag with a pretty ribbon.

The treats don’t have to be expertly decorated. If you can wield a pastry bag like a pro, that’s perfect. But giving a child a zip-top sandwich bag full of frosting with a snipped corner works just as well. Let them have fun shaking seasonal nonpareils onto the cookies; they’re easy to clean up.

Include the recipe on the gift tag if you like, or at the very least, add a note about how your treat should be stored and when it’s best enjoyed.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons warm water
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups (13 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) chopped skinned toasted hazelnuts (see note)
• 5 ounces good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch chunks, or 1 cup (6 1/2 ounces) mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) superfine sugar, optional (see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 F and position oven rack in the center.

For the dough: In a small bowl stir together the espresso powder and warm water until the powder dissolves. Set aside.

Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth and slightly lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. You also can use a hand mixer in a medium bowl, although you may need to beat the mixture a little longer to achieve the same results.

Add the espresso mixture and blend well. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (15 to 20 seconds) and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture all at once. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and blend slowly, just until there are no more patches of flour. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl.

Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips and mix on low, just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir gently a few times with the spatula to make sure the nuts and chips are evenly distributed and there are no patches of unincorporated flour or butter lurking near the bottom of the bowl.

To shape and bake the dough: Divide the dough in half. On a work surface lightly dusted with flour, gently squeeze and roll each piece to shape into logs about 13 inches long. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the logs on the sheet about 4 inches apart. Press down the logs, flattening them slightly until they are each about 2 inches across the top. Place a second baking sheet under the first (to prevent the bottoms of the logs from browning too quickly).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the logs are firm to the touch and lightly golden brown. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the logs cool completely. (If you attempt to slice them while warm, the chocolate will smear and the cookies will look messy.)

Cut the logs and bake them a second time. Turn the oven down to 275 degrees and position two racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Carefully transfer the cookie logs to a cutting surface. Use a serrated knife to slice the logs on a slight diagonal into cookies 3/8-inch thick.

Line the second baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookies, cut side down, on the parchment-lined sheets. (You’ll need both sheets to hold all the cookies).

Toast the cookies in the oven, switching the sheets between the rack and rotating each front to back halfway through, for 30 to 40 minutes, until dry and lightly tinged with color. Transfer to a cooling rack.

While the cookies are toasting, prepare the finishing sugar if you like. Whisk together the superfine sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. As soon as the cookies are out of the oven and off the rack, immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar and return to the baking sheet to cool completely.

The cookies will keep in an airtight container for 2 months. If the cookies soften during storage, re-crisp them in a 300-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool and return to storage container.

Notes: To toast and skin hazelnuts, place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for about 10 to 14 minutes. The skins will begin to split and come away from the nuts. Transfer the hot nuts to a clean kitchen towel and wrap them lightly inside it the steam will help loosen the skins. After 3 to 4 minutes, rub hazelnuts vigorously inside the towel to remove as much of the skins as possible. Depending on the variety, you may be able to remove some of the skin, but sometimes very little rubs off. Don’t worry, the remaining skin will add flavor and color to your baking.

Superfine sugar is sometimes labeled “baker’s sugar.” To make your own, whirl granulated sugar in the food processor for about 60 seconds. You can substitute superfine sugar for granulated sugar one to one.