Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti ~ A perfect Christmas Treat
Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti are a perfect tea time snack loaded with hazelnuts and with a deep chocolate flavour. They are twice-baked, making them perfect as Cupboard Snacks, travel food or edible gifts for festivals.
What is Biscotti?
Biscotti is the plural form of biscotto originating from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning "twice-baked". These Biscotti were commonly used to indicate the biscuits of Prato, biscotti di Prato, in modern Italy and Argentina they are also known as "cantuccini".
These Biscotti are twice-baked, oblong-shaped, dry, crunchy and may be dipped in a drink traditionally Vin Santo. (Source Wikipedia)
How to Serve biscotti?
In Italy typically served as an after-dinner dessert with a Tuscan fortified wine called vin santo. Outside of Italy, they more frequently accompany coffee or tea. (Source Wikipedia)
Why is biscotti so hard?
Since they are baked twice, they become dry and hard. The main reason for baking it twice was that they become dry and can be stored for very long periods of time. They can be a very good travel food.
What's Biscotti made of?
Traditionally the mixture use to consist exclusively of flour, sugar, eggs, pine nuts and almonds that are roasted or skinned. Modern recipes often contain nuts (almonds, pine nuts, pistachios and hazelnuts are popular choices) or spices such as anise or cinnamon.
This Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti is loaded with chunks of toasted hazelnuts and have a good deep chocolate flavour. Generally, chocolate chunks or choco chips are added to any biscuit but here the Chocolate is processed along with the sugar until finely ground.
I knew this Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti will be a favourite in my house especially with my son. I had baked this and he had just returned from school. Being a chocolate lover, he was not able to resist. They were hot and not even cooled and I have to literally hold him for a few minutes for them to cool down :-). After his lunch, he enjoyed them thoroughly.
I thought it would be a bit difficult for my 2-year-old to have them, but she was happily enjoying them. So this is another addition to my snack or cookie cupboard and is much healthier as it is without any preservatives and much less sugar than the store-bought ones.
Recipe process of Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
Dry ingredients are added to a bowl. The wet ingredients eggs and vanilla extract are beaten for a minute. The dry ingredients are then added to wet. Logs are formed with the dough and it is allowed to bake at 150 Deg C until firm to touch.
Once the logs are cooled, they are cut into a long oblong shape. These are again baked for 10 minutes until crisp and dry.
Once cooled completely store them in an air-tight container. Dunk them in your coffee or tea and enjoy.
Shelf Life of Biscotti
These cookies stay good for a month when stored in an airtight container.
Egg Replacement
If you do not like to use egg here, replace it with ½ cup applesauce or thick yogurt or chia or flax egg. I have not tried the replacement but I am sure it will work well. Once I try I will update the recipe.
Few more cookie recipes / Edible gift ideas
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So here goes the recipe of Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti:
Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti ~ A perfect Christmas Treat
Ingredients
- 1 Cup (150 gms) Hazelnuts
- 120 gms Dark Chocolate, Coarsely chopped (One can use semi sweet or Milk one too)
- 1 Cup (210 gms) Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 ¾ cup (210 gms) All purpose Flour/Plain Flour/ Maida
- ⅓ Cup (30 gms) Cocoa Powder
- 1 tablespoon (4 gms) Instant Coffee powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 gms) Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Toasting the Hazelnuts
- Preheat oven to 180 Deg C (350 Deg F).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the hazelnuts on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.1 Cup (150 gms) Hazelnuts
- Do turn them in between around 8 minutes.
- Once done remove and let it cool.
- Rub it between your palms to remove the skin off.
- Alternatively you can put all the hazelnuts in a clean towel and gently rub them. This will take the skin off.
- Chop the Hazelnuts coarsely
Making the Biscotti
- Reduce the oven temperature to 150 Deg C (300 Deg F)
- In a food processor or a powerful blender, add in the coarsely chopped chocolate and brown sugar and process until the chocolate is very fine.120 gms Dark Chocolate, Coarsely chopped, 1 Cup (210 gms) Dark Brown Sugar
- Then in a large bowl , sift the flour, cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking soda and salt.⅓ Cup (30 gms) Cocoa Powder, 1 tablespoon (4 gms) Instant Coffee powder, 1 teaspoon (5 gms) Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 1 ¾ cup (210 gms) All purpose Flour/Plain Flour/ Maida
- In a bowl of electric stand mixer or with a hand mixer beat the eggs and vanilla extract until combined (around 1 min)3 Eggs, 1 ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Add the chocolate/sugar mixture and combine.
- Next add in the flour mixture and beat until it roughly forms a dough, adding in the coarsely chopped hazelnuts in between.
- Dust your working surface with flour and with floured hands divide the dough into 2 equal portions.
- Form a log shape from each of the 2 portions. (You might need some extra flour if your dough is wet. Do not add too much flour though)
- Transfer the log's into a prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes at 150 Deg C until firm to touch.
- Remove from the oven, and let it cool down on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the cooled logs into a cutting board.
- Using a serrated or a sharp knife cut into slices ¾ inch (around 2 cm) thick.
- Arrange the cut slices on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Turn the slices over and bake again for 10 minutes or until crisp and dry.
- Remove from oven and let it cool on wire rack.
- This will store in an airtight container for several weeks.
- One can even glaze it with chocolate.
Notes
- Standard US Size cups used
- You might need some extra flour if your dough is wet.
- Just add a teaspoon at a time, in between your palms to work the dough. Do not add too much flour
- If you do not like to use egg here, replace it with ½ cup applesauce or thick yoghurt or chia or flax egg. I have not tried the replacement but I am sure it will work well. Once I try I will update the recipe.
Updates
This recipe was first published on 3rd December 2018. Today I am updating the contents of this post. Added step by step pics to the recipe card. The recipe remains the same.
Those biscotti look fabulous!..my kids love only chocolate so these will be so apt to make for them!..looking forward to read all your bakes Renu..:)
Thank you
Am looking for a chance to bake something with hazelnuts, and this biscottis looks absolutely incredible to munch without any guilt. Too tempting to the core Renu.
Thank You
Biscotti is one of my fav bake. Adding so much chocolate and the hazelnuts makes it amazing.
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A long baking process but the results are so good. Biscotti is one of my favorite bakes.
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I love biscotti and your chocolate-hazelnut biscotti look absolutely amazing. Great to have around during the holiday season.
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The chocolate and hazelnut combo is made in heaven and these biscottis with them sound fabulous , would love to bite into them .
Thank you
I also have a chocolate hazelnut biscotti coming up in the Bakeathon, hehe... Aren't they so addictive! Yours looks so well done and crunchy...
Wow same pinch then...yes they are super crunchy and Delicious and addictive
I love biscotti, but somehow haven't baked it so far. May be the lengthy procedure of baking it twice keeps me away from it. Your biscotti with chocolate and hazelnut looks super addictive
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Biscottis turned out so good and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.Though it's a time consuming process,its worth it.
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This is so perfect.. In love with both chocolate and hazelnuts..
my chocolate-loving kids would love such a treat sometime, great start to the bakeathon, Renu...
Thank You Kalyani
This looks great! An Italian classic for Christ sound fantastic!
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Oh man! Those look SO GOOD! My mouth is almost (or maybe it is...) watering right now looking at all those pictures!
Thank You 🙂
Love Biscotti!!!
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Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti are so irresistible. Beautiful clicks Renu. These are in my list from a long time.
Thank you 🙂
Those biscotti's look delicious, 2 of my favorites chocolate and hazelnuts, a cup of coffee and some of these yumm biscotti's would defintely make my evening plesant!
Thank You 🙂
This recipe looks delicious. I would definitely love to taste them with a warm cup of coffee!!
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Chocolate Biscotti, perfect with a cup of hot coffee, since long was thinking of baking biscotti, have to do it now!! Your's looks perfectly baked and delicious.
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My husband is a biscotti fan. This recipe looks simple enough for me to try. I am definitely giving it a go, will be a surprise for him.
Sure do and let me know how it turned out... Thank You
Chocolate and hazelnut biscotti, a delicious combo .. thinking of baking it for a long time.. All you need is a hot cup of coffee with it. Delicious bake!!
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These biscotti look so amazing. I have also baked these from joy of baking. And beautiful pics too
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What a fantastic start Renu! Love the chocolate hazelnut Biscotti! This would be a perfect snack / tea time indulgence!
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I don't use a lot of nuts because I am allergic to many varieties including hazelnuts but I would love these with pistacchios instead - biscotti is perfect with a cup of tea!
What a gorgeous sounding bake. Biscotti is something that I have always wanted to do but never managed. Will be pinning this recipe to definitely make. Thank you for sharing with #BakingCrumbs
Thank You so much. Do try it's not that fussy as it sounds.
I love biscotti and yours looks incredible! so tempting! thank you for sharing with #BakeoftheWeek xx
Thank You
Chocolate and hazelnut combo biscotti sound wonderful.
Thank you
I love biscotti. They are perfect biscuits for dipping in the coffee as they don't fall apart easily. Your chocolate version sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing with #BakingCrumbs 🙂
I can count the number of times I have baked biscotti on my fingertips as my family cannot understand the concept of double baking. According to hubby why spoil something that tastes great soft make hard to eat! :D. I am yet to bake with hazelnuts. Have a small packet must try making this delicious bake. Hopefully will get a chance when he is out trekking this month. Love it Renu.
Thank you, I felt that too but then it taste good both ways
I am making these today. But am I the only one to notice the baking soda/baking powder conflict in the recipe? The recipe list has B.soda. In Step 3, B.powder is listed. I base my cocoa powder (Dutch v non-Dutch) based on soda or powder. I wondered what other bakers used?...
Hi Pamille, Thank You very much for bringing this to my notice. It was a typo in the instructions. It is baking soda. I have corrected it. Hope you enjoy the biscottis.
Thanks, Renu
The biscotti with coffee sounds like a plan for this week. These biscotti are out of the world, loving it.
You have me drooling over the chocolate hazelnut biscotti. Thanks to your tips I know how to use the small stash of hazelnuts I have. Will make some especially when I am going to see the girls.
This is a recipe for keeps. Love biscotti and have been wanting to try out chocolate ones. Your chocolate hazelnut recipe has just come on time. Saved it so I can try them out soon.
Thank You, I hope you like it