Baby Brownie Biscotti
These semi-crunchy, not too sweet biscotti are dedicated to all those serious chocoholics out there (you know who you are!) Finally, a way to get those cravings satisfied while not going overboard with excess fat and calories. And since they are “babies,” you can easily enjoy a piece or two to dunk in a nice hot cup of your favorite coffee or tea. Or wrap these mini’s in decorative packages and tie with pretty ribbons as a welcome surprise for a friend.
Yield: about 2 dozen small biscotti
Yield: about 2 dozen small biscotti
Ingredients
- Parchment paper
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar see MPM Mini-Bites for more info
- 3 ounces high-quality dark chocolate chopped
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons almond oil or olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast sliced almonds according to directions found in MPM Mini-Bites. Using a sharp knife, chop coarsely.
Dry Ingredients:
- Gently spoon flour into measuring cup; leveling with a butter knife. In a medium bowl, add flour and remaining dry ingredients, sifting mixture twice.
- Place coconut palm sugar and chopped chocolate in a blender or food processor; pulse until finely ground. (do not let run continuously or chocolate may start to melt.)
- In bowl of electric stand mixer (best to use as dough will be stiff), beat whole egg and egg yolk, almond and vanilla extracts and almond oil (or olive) on medium speed until well-blended, about 1 minute.
- Add chocolate mixture and beat for 1 minute, combining well.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, beating until just blended. Fold in chopped almonds. (dough will be very stiff-okay)
Assembly:
- Turn dough out onto a work surface that has been lightly dusted with flour.
- Gather dough into a ball; knead several times, incorporating any loose pieces. (texture will seem somewhat dry-okay).
- Divide dough into 2 equal-sized portions.
- Shape and pat each portion into approximately 8 x 2 -inch logs. Brush off any excess flour.
- Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet.
- With a paring knife, score each log, (about 1/4 of the way down) diagonally. (makes slicing after baking easier)
- Let logs rest for 30 minutes.
- Bake for 20 minutes, rotating baking sheet half-way. Remove pan from oven; place on a rack for 10 minutes. (Logs may have cracked some during baking.)
- Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees F.
- Slice each log along scored lines into approximately 1/2-inch pieces. Lay slices face-down on baking sheet.
- Toast in oven for 10 minutes to crisp. Turn slices over; bake 10 minutes more.
- Transfer slices to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: store biscotti tightly covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or divide into small portions and freeze for up to 3 months for a readily available, portion-controlled treat.
Toasting Nuts: adding toasted nuts to your baked goodies really enhances the flavor! Toast nuts in a single layer on a dry cookie sheet (with sides if possible) in a 325 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes, or until just nuts begin to turn golden brown. (any longer and they will have an unpleasant burnt taste) Shake pan periodically to prevent burning. Can also toast in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, shaking continuously to prevent burning. Watch carefully. Store tightly covered in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 months.
Coconut Palm Sugar: read more about this healthier sweetener here.
If you prefer not to use coconut palm sugar, you can use an equal amount of cane sugar.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: although it takes a bit of extra effort, sifting whole wheat pastry flour is important as it helps create a light texture for your baked goods. Letting the batter sit for 30 minutes before baking, allows the fiber in this flour to absorb the liquid. This will help produce a more tender bread that rises nicely.
Additional tips for using whole wheat pastry flour can be found here.
Choosing High Quality Dark Chocolate: I prefer organic brands such as Endangered Species Supreme Dark (72% cacao)
Baking Biscotti: during baking, logs may crack some. This is very common in a biscotti recipe that does not contain butter. You may have some breakage when slicing. No worries as real biscotti does crumble. Just make sure you enjoy all the little pieces!
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