Chocolate orange and hazelnut biscotti

You may have noticed that I use a rather lot of recipes from a handful of my favourite bloggers. I have to try and resist the urge to recreate their blogs on my blog, because their recipes are just so good and work so well that I go back to them time and time again.

I've had my eye on a chocolate biscotti recipe on David Lebovitz's website for years, but decided that as I was going to be using his chocolate chip cookie recipe later this month I should branch out and try a different biscotti recipe instead.

I dug out my Leith's Baking Bible and made a batch of their chocolate biscotti, but the results were mediocre at best – they had a dry crumbly texture rather than the crispness I was hoping for. After a little research I discovered that biscotti don't usually contain butter or any other fat (apart from that in the eggs), and are made by whisking up the eggs until light and airy to give it it's distinctive texture – both things which do not occur in the Leith's recipe. So I gave up the unequal struggle and went back to the David Lebovitz recipe in which I can have confidence that it has been tried and tested and tested again to make sure they turn out just right.
 

I made some minor amendments in reducing the quantities, adding the orange zest, and replacing the almonds with hazelnuts but it's otherwise quite true to the original – well if it ain't broke...

 

Chocolate, orange and hazelnut biscotti:

 

185g plain flour

50g cocoa

¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

130g sugar

Grated zest of 1 orange

90g dark chocolate, chopped

90g hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

200g dark chocolate, for dipping (optional)

• Preheat oven to 180°C and line two large baking trays with baking parchment
• Beat the eggs, sugar and orange zest until the mixture thickens and holds it's shape
• Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarb and salt into the egg mixture and gently fold in to combine
• Stir through the chopped chocolate and hazelnuts
• Roll the dough into two logs and transfer to the baking tray
• Brush with beaten egg or a little milk and sprinkle with some extra sugar
• Bake for 25 minutes then leave to cool for 15 minutes
• Use a serrated knife to slice through the logs at an angle
• Place the individual biscuits cut side down on the trays and bake for a further 20 minutes turning over halfway through
• Allow to cool and then dip one end in melted chocolate
• Once the chocolate is set, store in an airtight container for up to 1 month