Chocolate Cherry Biscotti from Reesa Gottschalk

Chocolate Cherry Biscotti

From Reesa Gottschalk

(Source:  Biscotti and Other Low-Fat Cookies by Maria Robbins)

Ingredients

2 T. kirsch

1 1/2 cups dried, pitted cherries

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 t. pure vanilla

For the chocolate dip:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment and set aside.  Sprinkle the kirsch over cherries and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 5 minutes, until the mixture is very pale and thick.  Remove bowl from the electric mixer and sift the flour mixture over the eggs.  Fold in the flour with a large rubber spatula, and then fold in the cherries and kirsch.

Divide the dough in half with the spatula.  Dip your hands in cold water and shape each half into a log 14 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide, directly on the prepared cookie sheet.  Leave at least 4 inches between the logs.  Bake for 30 minutes, until the logs are firm to the touch and beginning to crack on top.

Remove from the oven, place the cookie sheet on a wire rack, and let cook for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Slide baked logs onto a cutting board.  Using a long serrated knife, cut each log diagonally into 1/2 -inch slices.  Arrange the biscotti, cut sides down, on the cookie sheets.  Bake for 7-8 minutes on each side.*  remove the biscotti to a wire rack and let cool completely.

While biscotti are cooling, prepare the dipping chocolate:  chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler set over (but not touching) barely simmering water.  When almost melted, remove from heat and stir until completely melted.  Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper or foil.  Dip one end of each cool biscotto into the melted chocolate and lay them onto he lined cookie sheets to cool and harden.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container.  They will keep for up to a month. 

Enjoy!

*We actually like the biscotti less dry so after the initial 30 minutes cooking time, turn off the oven and leave biscotti in to dry a bit, maybe 10 minutes.  We also don't do the chocolate dip because the chocolate flavor of the biscotti is already intense and we don't like the sweetness of the chips.