Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti

Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti

from Rachel Ray Magazine September 2012

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almonds
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbs sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teas baking powder
• 1/2 teas salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 teas pure vanilla extract
• 10 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the almonds in an even layer over a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until toasted, carefully stirring once halfway through to prevent burning. Let cool for 10 minutes.

In the bowl of your food processor, combine 1/2 cup toasted almonds, 1 tbs sugar and pulse until finely ground. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse three times to mix.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, vanilla, and remaining sugar on high until fluffy and thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Fold in the whole almonds.

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and grease. Divide the dough in half and form into two loaves, about 2″ by 10″. Don’t worry about perfection. Smooth the tops to create a flat surface and bake 25 minute, until golden.

Remove the loaves from the oven, reduce heat to 325. Carefully slice the loaves into 1/2″ cookies and bake for another 20 minutes, until crispy.

Melt half of the chocolate in the bowl of your double boiler over just simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour in the remaining chocolate. Let sit for two minutes, then stir gently until all of the chocolate has melted. Dip the flat bottoms of the biscotti into the chocolate and lay on a wire rack to dry. Set rack in fridge to set, 15 minutes. Serve with hot cocoa or coffee.