These chocolate almond biscotti are an ideal choice for chocolate lovers. True chocolate flavour, thanks to the rich dark chocolate combined with cocoa powder, is what these cookies makes so special.

If you only do one thing this weekend, we suggest you make this chocolate almond biscotti. For those of you who think you don't like dry cookies, this recipe will change your mind.

These biscotti, enriched with toasted almonds, are perfect for dipping in a cup of coffee or just enjoying with a glass of Vin Santo.

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What is so special about chocolate almond biscotti

Rich dark chocolate combined with cocoa powder give the biscotti a flavour which will satisfy the most demanding chocolate lovers. The toasted almonds, which pair well with brown sugar, give an extra flavour kick.

Baking biscotti might look a little tricky but we assure you that by following our recipe you will manage it easily. The biscotti are first baked in a log, then sliced and baked again to achieve their famous crunchiness.

Sweetened with brown sugar, flavoured with toasted almonds and packed with rich dark chocolate, this crunchy biscotti are at the top of our coffee pairing list!

how to make chocolate almond biscotti

Making the dough

For these biscotti, you first need to toast almond until lightly brown and fragrant. You can do this in the oven, toasting them for about 5 - 10 minutes. Once ready, remove them from the oven and set aside.

In this recipe beside cocoa powder, we added some quality dark chocolate to accent the chocolate flavour. Broke the chocolate and process together with brown sugar in the food processor until you get a fine texture.

In one large bowl combine all dry ingredients - flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and prepared chocolate/sugar mixture. In another bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract for about 1 minute, then fold in dry ingredients in two separate additions.

Transfer the dough to the floured work surface and fold in toasted almond. Work with your hands until the compact dough forms but be careful not the overmix the dough since you want a light and crispy biscotti, not hard one.

baking biscotti

For the first bake, divide the dough into half and form each half into a log shape 30 cm long and 5 cm wide directly on a baking tray. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until slightly risen, firm to touch and you can see some cracks on the top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into 1.5 cm thick slices. Return the slices cut-side up to the baking tray and bake for another 5 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

The longer the chocolate biscotti stay in the oven the crisper they become, so if you like them softer you can remove them earlier from the oven. Serve with a warm drink for dunking or just eat them by themselves.

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useful tips for making chocolate almond biscotti

• The trickiest part about making biscotti is handling the dough. It's soft and sticky so we advise working with it quickly with slightly dusted hands. It's best to form a log directly on the baking tray.
  
  
• For a richer aroma, toast the almonds before adding to the dough.
  
  
• Use a serrated knife to slice the logs. Also, it is best to let the logs cool until they can easily handled but don't wait too long as the logs will become hard and can break while slicing.
  
  
• Be careful when turning the biscotti in the oven during the second bake to prevent cracking and crumbling. It's best to use tongs. 
  
  
• The final texture of the biscotti depends on the amount of time spent in the oven. For a slightly softer texture, decrease the time of the second bake. If the biscotti are too soft, increase the duration of the second bake to get a dry crunchy biscotti.
  
  

storing chocolate almond biscotti

To keep the biscotti crisp, store them in a glass cookie jar at room temperature. If they should lose their crispness, simply toast them in the oven for a few minutes on 150°C (300°F).

Looking For More Cookie Recipes?

• Almond Biscotti
• Chocolate Amaretti Cookies
• Almond Polenta Cookies
• Walnut Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookies
• White Chocolate Pecan Cookies
• Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
• Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more cookie inspiration, take a look at our collection of yummy cookie recipes. Also check out our selection of other Italian cookies, too.

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Digital Kitchen Scale | Mixing Bowls | Measuring Spoons | Wire Whisk | Wooden Cutting Board | Serrated Knife | Mini Food Processor | Baking Tray | Baking Paper Sheets | Kitchen Tongs | Cookie Glass Jar

INGREDIENTS

• 150g (1 1/4 cup) plain flour
• 50g (1/2 cup) hazelnut or almond flour
• 25g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 125g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) brown sugar
• 85g (3 ounces) dark chocolate (60 - 70% cocoa)
• 100g (2/3 cup) whole almonds
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt

METHOD

1. Spread the almonds on a baking tray and toast at 160°C (320°F) for about 5 - 7 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven, cool completely and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (302°F). Line the baking tray with baking paper.
   


2. Place broken chocolate and brown sugar in a food processor and process until the chocolate is very fine.
   
   
3. In a large bowl combine plain and hazelnut flours, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Add chocolate and sugar mixture into this.
   
   
4. In another bowl whisk the eggs and vanilla extract for about 1 minute and then add to the dry ingredients.
   
   
5. Tip onto a floured work surface, add toasted almonds and work with your hands until compact dough forms.
   
   
6. With floured hands divide the dough in half. Roll each half of dough into a log shape (30 cm long and 5 cm wide) directly on a baking tray. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes (logs will spread during baking). Remove from the oven, place on the wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.
   
   
7. Transfer the logs onto a cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut the logs into slices 1.5cm thick on the diagonal. Place slices cut-side down onto the baking tray and bake for another 5 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.