Chocolate Biscotti II

Nancy Van Ess's Note:

originally from "Sunset" magazine

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 72

• 3 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 tablespoon orange rind, grated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup pecans, chopped, walnuts or almonds
• 12 ounces white chocolate
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder and salt. Add melted unsweetened chocolate, eggs, oil, juice, rum, peel and vanilla; stir to combine. Add baking chips and nuts; mix until dough is well blended.
2. Quarter dough; shape into 4 logs, each about 2 1/ 2" wide by 14" long.
3. Place 2 logs on each of 2 lightly oiled (10x15") baking pans.
4. Bake logs at 350 degrees just until firm to touch, about 20 min.
5. Cool logs slightly in pans; using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 1/2" wide slices.
6. Place slices cut side down on pans; bake until crisp, about 15 min. more.
7. Cool cookies.
8. Meanwhile, in a double boiler, melt white chocolate and shortening over hot water, stirring until smoot h (or heat in a nonmetal bowl in a micro oven on 100 percent power for 15 sec. at a time, stirring after each interval, until soft and smooth, about 1 1/2 min.total). Dip 1 end of each cookie about 1" into white chocolate to coat. Lay cookies on wire racks until firm; chill to speed process.
9. Serve, or wrap airtight to store up to 2 days; freeze for longer storage.

Reviews

[Barbara2]

I have tried a lot of chocolate biscotti recipes and this one is the best. Mae sure you realize that the white chocolate is for dipping the cooies - it should not be added to the dough.

[Jennifer Steele]

This recipie is EXCELLENT!! I went out on a limb and made this biscotti for my new boyfriend for Velentine's day. He is Italian, and so I figured by baking an Italian dessert, he would either love it, or tell me I was an awful cook! Well, I split the recipe in half and by the end of the next day, he and his roommates had eaten ALL of it! They loved it and I became known as a "fabulous cook"! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe - it really came through for me! Anyone who is considering making this dessert - you should! It is fantastic!

[Diane in Nebraska]

This was a wonderful recipe. I didn't have any chocolate chips so I left them out and I used 1½ cups of slivered almonds. I will make them again and again! Thanks!