Makes about 28 biscotti
Believe me - give these deliciously spicy cookies a try and expand your palate
a bit. Chocolate and chiles are old friends, and the cherries add sweet contrast.
Candidates for dipping include full-bodied wines like Zinfandel and Cabernet
Sauvignon, port, and espresso.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- Grated zest of 1 large orange
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pure ground ancho chile powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3½ ounces coarsely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
- ½ cup (2 ounces) coarsely chipped walnuts
- ½ cup (3 ounces) dried cherries
Procedure
- Position the racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to
350 degrees F.
- Using a hand-held electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter, sugar,
and orange zest in a large bowl until well combined, about 3 minutes. Beat in
the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, chile powder, and salt
to combine. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in the butter mixture. Work
in the chocolate, walnuts, and cherries.
- Divide the dough in half. Using lightly floured hands on a floured work
surface, form the dough into two 10 X 2-inch logs. Place the logs on an ungreased
large baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake on the center rack until set
and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the
baking sheet for 20 minutes.
- Using a serrated knife and a sawing motion, carefully cut the logs into
diagonal slices about ½ inch 5. wide. Place the slices on ungreased baking
sheets. Bake until the undersides of the biscotti are beginning to brown at
the edges, about 8 minutes. Turn the biscotti over. Switch the positions of
the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking until
lightly browned on the other side, about 8 minutes more.
- Cool completely on baking sheets. (The biscotti can be prepared up to 1
week ahead, cooled, and tightly covered in an airtight container at room temperature.)
Reprinted from Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family by Art Smith
Copyright © 2001 by Art Smith.
