Skill required: Successful baker
Time to prepare: @1-1/2 hours including baking
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup hazelnuts - toasted and coarsely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. To toast hazelnuts: spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and the skins begin to flake.
3. Remove from the oven and place nuts in a dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts 'steam' for 5 minutes and then briskly rub the towel (with nuts inside) to remove the skins from the nuts.
4. Cool and chop coarsely. Set aside.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degree F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the coarsely chopped chocolate and brown sugar and process until the chocolate is very fine; set aside.
7. Sift or whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl; set aside.
8. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine eggs and vanilla extract and beat to blend, about 30 seconds.
9. On low speed mix in the chocolate/sugar and flour mixtures until a stiff dough forms, adding the hazelnuts about half way through mixing.
10.On a floured surface divide the dough in half. Form each half into a log 12 inches long. Do this by rolling the dough back and forth into a cylinder shape with floured hands.
11.Transfer the logs to the baking sheet, spacing them well apart (width-wise on the pan) and pat to even the shapes.
12.Bake until almost firm to the touch, about 35 - 40 minutes. Logs will spread during baking. Remove from the oven, place on wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes.
13.Using a long spatula transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife cut the dough into slices 3/4 inch thick on the diagonal. Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking sheet.
14.Bake 15 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake until crisp and dry, about 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.
Yield: 30 biscotti
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