You know that moment when nothing can stop you from getting that snack. Your cravings getting crazy strong and your sweet tooth is screaming for something super delicious!
Italian cuisine has the answer! Rich, flavourful, just amazing!
Biscotti is famous. They are very crisp, some find them really tough cookies, but strong and heavenly coffee instantly melts their heart, and they become soft enough for everyone.
Traditionally with almonds, they are now with all the flavours you can imagine. My favourite is chocolate biscotti with either almonds or pecans.
Ingredients:
- 280g all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 250g caster sugar
- 2-3 medium eggs
- 50g good quality dark chocolate
- 135g blanched almonds (you can use also those with skins)
- 50g chocolate chips
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Grated nutmeg to taste
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line a baking tray with baking parchment (Dough easily sticks to the surface and can burn).
2. Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add beaten eggs, 1 part of whole amount at a time. Be careful about amount, you might need only 2 eggs, for dough can’t be sticky (melted chocolate will add moisture, don’t worry). Fully incorporate before adding more. I’d suggest kneading by hands, for then flour better takes the moisture from the eggs.

3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl above the steaming water (bowl can’t touch the water). Then cool until tepid. Chop the almonds, grate the zest of the orange, grate the nutmeg over the dough. Mix in melted chocolate and orange zest. Then add chocolate chips and chopped almonds and vanilla extract. Knead until well combined.

4. Turned the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently. Then divide in two parts, roll them in around 4cm diameter logs and place them on a baking tray, spacing them at least 5cm apart for they will spread while baking. Bake for 30-35min.

5. Leave the logs to cool for around 10min, then transfer to a cutting board and cut them on the diagonal in 2-3cm thick slices. Place slices back on a tray, cut side up. Bake them another 30-35min until they are dry through to the centre, turning them over halfway through.

Cool completely before serving on a wire rack. What’s good about biscotti, you can store them for weeks, they don’t lose their deliciousness.
PS. Recipe taken from Paul Hollywood’s Bread, published by Bloomsbury