It is our 4th day of the Christmas countdown and I am very excited about today’s recipe. Yesterday, I shared with you the pistachio rosewater biscotti, which instantly became a hit. For me though, there is no better flavor pairing than orange and dark chocolate.
The recipe follows the same technique as the other biscotti recipe but tastes totally different. Instead of pistachios, we’re using whole almonds with the skins on. Orange juice and candied orange give this dough an irresistible orange flavor. I also add chocolate chunks, because more chocolate is always good, right?
I really have a hard time deciding which one is my favorite, but you go ahead and try both. I am sure you will love them both.
Let’s get baking!
Should I use butter or vegetable oil?
The traditional biscotti recipe uses eggs as the only form of fat in the recipe. There is no butter, oil or milk. However, some modern recipes call for the use of some sort of fat to produce softer cookies that can be eaten alone without the need to be dunked in coffee. This is recipe uses the traditional recipe from Prato, so it is crunchy.
Should I use whole unroasted nuts?
Definitely! Some call for chopped nuts to make it easier to slice. However, if you use a sharp knife and slice carefully, as instructed below, you won’t have a problem. Also, nuts will get a chance to be roasted during the second bake, so opt for unroasted.
What do I do if my dough is very sticky?
This dough is a relatively soft dough. You have two options, sprinkle your work surface with a lot of flour and shape it with your hands. My alternative preferred method that I learned from Chef Anna Olson, is to dollop it directly on the parchment lined baking sheet, into a log shape. Then, damp your hands with water or oil and shape into a log.
How do you bake biscotti?
Biscotti is baked twice. First time, the dough is shaped into logs. After the first bake, the biscotti left to cool slightly, around 20 minutes. It is very important to allow it to cool completely, otherwise the biscotti will crumble. If left for too long though, the biscotti will be too hard to slice. It is then sliced and baked again. When arranging the sliced biscotti in the tray, leave a little bit of space between pieces, to allow air to circulate.
How do you slice biscotti?
They key to slice biscotti is to use a sharp serrated knife with a thin blade. The technique is also as important. Slice the biscotti at a slight angle in a back and forth motion.
Why is my biscotti hard?
Traditionally, biscotti is supposed to be super crunchy. These cookies are traditionally meant to be dunked in fortified wine. Now they are served alongside different types of coffee, or even better, hot chocolate, yum! When biscotti is cut and baked the second time, most of the moisture evaporates. If you want your biscotti slightly softer, reduce the time of the second baking.
Do I have to dip biscotti in chocolate?
No at all. In fact, usually only the bottom of the biscotti is dipped in chocolate. But I like dipping the edges at an angle. It is totally up to you.
What is the shelf life of biscotti?
Biscotti lasts for weeks at rooms temperature, making it perfect for holiday gifting. Keep it in airtight container and you’re good to go.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes in the comments.
Double Chocolate Orange Biscotti
Ingredients
- 160 g flour
- 25 g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 120 g sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g skinned almonds
- 100 g candied orange peel roughly chopped
- 100 g chocolate chunks roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160 °C and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whip eggs and sugar together for about 5 minutes.
- Add orange juice.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and add gradually to the wet ingredients.
- With a spatula, fold in almond, orange peel and chocolate chunks.
- Shape into a log about 8 cm wide.
- Bake for 35 minutes at 160 °C. Cool the logs on the baking tray for 20 – 30 minutes until cool to touch but still a bit warm.
- Transfer to a cutting board and slice at an angle with a serrated knife. Each slice should be just over 1 cm thick, but thickness is totally up to your preference.
- Place back in the baking tray, leaving space between them. Return to the oven and bake for additional 15 minutes.
