Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Here’s a little taste of Italy on your Friday morning!  Biscotti–which means “twice baked” in Italian–originated in the Italian town of Prato near Florence.   (I know this because I looked it up on Wikipedia.)  We don’t see much biscotti in the bakeries way down south in Sicily, but that’s okay because you can always come to the States, wake up in my mother’s house, and have some with your morning coffee there instead.

Last week my mom, Aunt Leslie, and Lena made biscotti and triple-layer carrot cakes to thank the staff at the church where Julia’s memorial service was held this summer and also to thank the Vienna Fire and Rescue Squad (with whom Julia ran with as an EMT) for attending the burial and memorial service.  I thought that was such a sweet way to say thank you… literally!

Here are a few photos of the process from the kitchen and then the recipe itself:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (or substitute white chocolate chips!)
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a large baking sheet.
• In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
• Add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. 
• Stir in flour mixture until a stiff dough. 
• Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.
• With floured hands form dough into two slightly flattened logs on the prepared baking sheet. Each log should be about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 
• Bake 35 minutes or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, leaving oven on.
• On a cutting board, cut logs diagonally into 3/4-inch slices to form biscotti. Arrange cut sides down on baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Biscotti keep in airtight containers 1 week and frozen, 1 month.