Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

Chocolate and hazelnuts are perfect pair in these crunchy biscotti. Follow our proven recipe and bake at home these amazing Italian cookies flavoured with a touch of cardamom.

Chocolate and hazelnuts are perfect partners and you will find that these biscotti are no exception. Just, they have a hint of cardamom to make them extra. The biscotti are rich and chocolatey and of course with the satisfying crunch that biscotti delivers. It just begs for a good cup of coffee.

Toasted hazelnuts are delicious addition to a variety of recipes.
Toasted hazelnuts are a great way to add a tasty crunch to the recipes.

how to make biscotti

If you've never made biscotti before it may seem complicated, but you will be surprised at how easy biscotti it to make. The dough is very much like a cookie dough. The difference is that you form two large logs from the dough, then bake them, slice and bake again. Super easy!

We use three eggs in biscotti. The eggs have two jobs: structure and texture. They help the biscotti keep its shape and keep the biscotti from tasting too dry. We love all flavours in these biscotti.

The most important are toasted hazelnuts which adds great flavour. Make sure you toast them: that's where all the flavour comes from. This recipe features demerara sugar to sweeten the biscotti. It's caramel flavour and crunchy texture are ideal for making these biscotti delicious. 

how to make chocolate hazelnut biscotti

toasting the hazelnuts

Toasted hazelnuts are delicious addition to these chocolate biscotti and the best way to toast them is in the oven. Toast them in the oven preheated to 180 C for about 8 - 10 minutes. Once they are lightly toasted wrap them into clean kitchen towel and after a few minutes rub them to take the skin off. Set aside. 

making the dough

Making the dough for these chocolate biscotti is so easy and quick. In one bowl combine all dry ingredients - plain and almond flours, baking powder, cocoa powder, finely ground dark chocolate, sugar, salt, ground cardamom and grated orange zest.

In another bowl whisk eggs then pour into dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the flour in incorporated. Fold in chopped hazelnuts and work with your hands until you get a compact slightly sticky dough.

baking biscotti

Halve dough and place on baking tray lined with baking paper. Shape each half into a 5cm x 25cm log. Bake logs about 20 minutes or until they harden a bit. Remove from the oven and cool logs for about 5 minutes, then using serrated knife, cut each log diagonally into 1cm slices. 

Place slices back on the tray and bake for another 10 minutes, then turn and bake for another 10 minutes or until dry and crisp. If you prefer softer biscotti you can skip the second step and leave them softer.

about biscotti

The term "biscotti" comes from the Latin word bis coctus, meaning "twice baked". The biscotti is first baked in a log, then sliced and baked again.

This double process makes the cookies dry and crunchy, and ideal for dipping in coffee, tea, hot cocoa, dessert wine or liqueur. Although, biscotti is traditionally with almonds, these days you can find a huge variety of flavours. These cookies are ideal to bake ahead as they keep well for weeks.

storing and freezing biscotti

Store leftover biscotti in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. These cookies can also be frozen up to 3 months. 

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Looking for more cookies to try?

• Classic Almond Biscotti
• Chocolate Almond Biscotti
• Almond Flour Biscotti
• Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Walnut Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Soft Chocolate Hazelnut 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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INGREDIENTS

• 140g whole hazelnuts
• 100g dark chocolate
• 200g plain flour
• 40g almond flour
• 120g demerara sugar
• 30g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 pinch of fine sea salt
• 3 eggs, at room temperature

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Spread hazelnuts on a baking tray and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant and the the skins start to crack. Remove from the oven and place nuts in a clean tea towel and gently rub together until the most of the skin comes off. Cool and chop coarsely.
   
   
2. Reduce the oven to 175°C (320°F)  and line the baking tray with baking paper.
   
   
3. In a food processor, place coarsely chopped chocolate and process until the chocolate is very fine.
   
   
4. In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, ground cardamom and grated orange zest. Add finely ground chocolate into this and combine everything.
   
   
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs for 1 minute.
   
   
6. Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients and pour the eggs into this incorporating gradually using a spatula. Mix with spatula until a dough form, adding the chopped hazelnuts halfway.


7. On a baking tray, shape the dough into 2 logs about 4 cm wide. The dough may be quite sticky so you can dust your hands. They don't have to be perfect - they will smooth out and expand in the oven, but leave enough space between the logs as they will spread.
   
   
8. Bake in the oven for about 18 - 20 minutes or until logs are almond firm to touch. Remove the logs from the oven, and when cool enough to handle but still slightly warm, slice the logs diagonally into slices about 1 cm wide.
   
   
9. Return slices to baking tray and bake for another 10 minutes on one side, then turn and bake for additional 10 minutes on the other side until the biscotti are quite firm and brown. Let them cool completely.
   
   

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