Chocolate Raspberry Almond Biscotti

Chocolate Raspberry Almond Biscotti

Biscotti is a flavor packed but dry Itallian cookie that is made for "dunking".  They can be "dunked" in coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, chocolate milk and they are even great dunked in Almond milk.  For many Itallian people this cookie is an everyday snack but I am not Italian and therefore this cookie is very special and I only make them once a year at Christmas time.  This cookie combines the flavors of chocolate, raspberry and almonds. 

Butter, sugar and raspberry jelly have been mixed with an electric mixer.

1/2 cup sugar                                                                                  Printable Recipe

3/4 cup raspberry jelly (I use my own Raspberry Jelly)

1/4 cup butter

2+ cups flour (the + is there because you might need to add a little more and you will also need some flour for dusting the kneading surface)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds (Toasting Almonds)

Using an electric mixer - cream the sugar, butter and raspberry jelly until it looks like the picture above (no more than 5 minutes of mixing).  Next add both eggs and beat until blended.  Now, by hand - with a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, cocoa and baking powder - the dough will be very sticky.  And finally, stir in the nuts with the wooden spoon.

Dust your kneading surface with flour and knead by hand and keep adding a little more flour until the dough is smooth and less sticky.

Form the dough into 2 logs (as seen in the picture below) and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes (or until the middle is baked - a few little cracks should form on the top).

Allow the logs to cool for about 5 minutes on a cooling rack.  Now cut the biscotti into 1/2 inch slices - cut at a little bit of a diagonal angle (see picture below) until both logs have been cut (you should have about 20 cookies - these cookies will be smaller and shorter than the Orange Mocha Biscotti). 

Now place all of the cookies back onto the parchment lined cookie sheet and toast (in the 325 degree oven) for 8 to 10 minutes (this will make the cookies dry for dipping/dunking).  Flip each cookie and toast for another 8 to 10 minutes. 

Allow the cookies to cool and then store these biscotti in an airtight container and then in a cool place (I place my biscotti filled container in the garage or root cellar in the basement).

ENJOY!!

Orange Mocha Biscotti

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Biscotti