Chocolate Orange Biscotti

 Chocolate Orange Biscotti

Biscotti is new in my life….. I had never made biscotti before until about a month ago when I decided to give Joy the Baker’s (http://joythebaker.com/) Dark chocolate and anise biscotti a go, from her cook book. The original recipe is available here - http://www.rookno17.com/2012/03/dark-chocolate-anise-biscotti-joy-baker.html. While her flavour combination was good… I wanted something citrus-y. My love for biscotti only really developed in the last couple of months. This was from all of those take away flat white’s at Manly Vale’s Belaroma café, where I was sometimes lucky enough to be given a small piece of citrus and pistachio biscotti to go. While I loved these little morsels, their biscotti was very crunchy (as biscotti always is due to being twice baked) – however that’s what I love about this recipe – they are crunchy on the outside, still a little bit soft on the inside, and the aroma and taste of Allens Jaffas fills the room, what could be bad about that?

Note: This recipe is very versatile…the flavour combinations are endless – think about it: white chocolate, pistachio and cranberry for Christmas time; lemon, lime, orange zest and almonds; coffee and walnuts; vanilla and cinnamon… OY! The list goes on.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons (around 94g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 100g dark chocolate, chopped 
• 100g milk chocolate, chopped

Method:

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 176 Degrees Celsius.  Line two large baking sheets with bakingpaper and set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy - 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add 1 of the eggs and egg yolk and beat until well incorporated, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the flour mixture, all at once, to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until well combined.  Mixture may seem a bit dry, but that’s okay.  Add chocolate chunks and grated orange zest and mix until combined – but don’t overmix.
6. Divide the dough into two equal pieces.  If the dough is shaggy and crumbly, that’s fine – just knead it until it comes together.  Shape each piece of dough into a log (about 1.5” wide and 8” long) on the baking sheets.  Beat the remaining egg, brush over the logs, and sprinkle generously with sugar.
7. Bake biscotti on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes.  Let biscotti rest until cool enough to handle.  Use a serrated knife to gently slice biscotti into 1-inch-thick slices.  Flip cut side up onto the baking sheet and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Biscotti will still be slightly soft to the touch.  Let cool and enjoy.
8. Biscotti will last, in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (but I can assure you they will be eaten well before then)