It's the only biscotti my husband asks for! I omit the chocolate chips use pecans and dip them in melted Hershey candy bars when they are done and cold. I also gave some to friends in gift baskets at Christmas. Everyone loved them. I have never had a single problem with crumbling or any of the other problems people have had. I shape them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (wet your hands so it doesn't stick!) then bake. When it's time to cut you can lift the whole thing off by holding the paper. I never let it cool more than 10 minutes before cutting. I use my very sharp bread knife to gently saw through the biscotti. When it's cut I lift the pieces off with a spatula and put them back on the cookie sheet (without the paper) for the second bake. It works for me!
Excellent flavor however my biscottis burned a little in the second baking. I found in a cookbook to lower the temp of the oven the second time around to 250. I tried it again and they turned out perfect. We even ate the semi-burnt ones!
Great biscotti recipe! Very chocolately and very good! I left out the nuts and next time I might bake them for 20 minutes vs. 25. They didn't crumble with I cut into them and they looked great drizzled with melted white chocolate. Perfect treat to go with coffee!
Just one word.....fabulous! I made these yesterday...actually...two batches of them. I took the advice of others and did several things. I added additional coco powder and a pinch of salt as that definitely does bring out the chocolate flavor. Also....I only let then cool for 20 miniutes instead of the recommended 30 minutes and....they cut perfectly. I returned them to the oven after adding just a touch of sugar for only 5 minutes on each side as others also suggested and they were perfect! My mom raved over them...brought her some last night and again this morning:) My husband brought them to work this morning and I am just waiting to hear what everyone though but I am sure....they will definitely be a winner!!! I know that I will be using this one again and again:)
These biscotti's are AMAZING!!! I noticed some of the reviewers had problems with crumbling so I baked the first time only until firm. I let them cool and no problems cutting them! I cooked them on a silpat too. Great for baking...nothing sticks. These are going to be made over and over!! Thanks Linda!!
You have to remember that these are biscotti not gooey chocolate cookies or brownies and they will not be as sweet or soft as cookies or brownies. They're easy to make shape and cut and have an understated chocolate taste. I thought the egg wash gave the tops a nice smooth shiny appearance and would not leave it off. However at least for my oven the timing is off and on the second baking the bottoms were starting to burn after only 10 minutes. Perhaps the second baking requires a lower temperature to harden the biscotti without burning them.
I've been making these frequently over the past couple years and when you follow the recipe exactly the biscotti are pretty good but there are some changes I have learned that really improve them. First don't be afraid to add a little more cocoa. Second use about 1/8-1/4 tsp salt to taste. Third experiment with your extracts and oils. Try using 3/4 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp almond extracts. Other flavor variations with oil of Anise anise seed or fresh tarragon all compliment the chocolate really well and are delicious with coffee or tea. Definitely gives more dimension to the biscotti (although admittedly anise is not for everyone). Miniature chocolate chips are not a must and in fact we prefer using regular-sized chocolate chips. Cooking time: everyone's oven is a little different but I usually bake for 20 min at 375F. I let them cool for 10 min before I cut them (waiting the full 30 min seems to increase the crumbling problem) then reduce the heat to 350F. Bake them for 10 min flip to the other side and bake for 10 min more. For a holiday treat drizzle with crushed peppermint and white bakers chocolate or almond bark.
Thank you very much for this recipe!! It is truly the best chocolate biscotti recipe I've tried. What a great chocolate flavor the chocolate chips added! I followed your instructions and never broke a single slice. Try to start cutting with a sarrated knife on one end of the biscotti and slice to the opposite end slowly for best results. I am making more tomorrow to take to a church dinner on Sunday!
Excellent recipe! Found that the cookies cut much better with a sharp butcher's knife. The nuts kept sticking to my serated knives (and I tried several) which caused the cookie to break. The sharp butcher's knife cut them easily and cleanly making a much nicer looking cookie. Taste is great Too!
A bit disappointing. We love biscotti of most varieties but this didn't deliver due to its light chocolate favor and super dry texture. Would have to adapt too many aspects so will probably look for a new chocolate biscotti recipe to try.
