Chocolate Biscotti

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper (or use nonstick baking sheets). In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the lemon zest and liqueur. At low speed, add the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks and almonds.

Sprinkle a work surface with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Divide the dough in half. Roll each piece in the sugar into a 15-inch log. Arrange the logs, 3 inches apart, on 1 prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until center of each log is firm when gently pressed with a fingertip. Cool logs on the baking sheet 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Transfer the logs to a large cutting board. With a serrated knife, slice each log crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer the slices, cut-side down, to the baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until crisp. Transfer the biscotti to wire racks and cool completely.

Source: The Metropolitan Bakery Cookbook by James Barrett and Wendy Smith Born
Artisan Breads, Pastries, and Desserts from Philadelphia's Premier Bakery

Almond Biscotti

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Place almonds in a small baking pan. Bake 7 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Beat sugar and butter in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add egg whites and almond extract; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl; mix well. Stir egg white mixture and almonds into flour mixture until well blended.
3. Spray two 9x5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly divide dough between prepared pans. Spread dough evenly over bottoms of pans with wet fingertips. Bake 15 minutes or until knife inserted into centers comes out clean.
4. Remove from oven and turn onto cutting board. As soon as loaves are cool enough to handle, cut each into 16 (1/2" thick) slices. Place slices on baking sheets covered with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 5 minutes; turn over. Bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight container.

CAPPUCCINO BISCOTTI

2 c Flour; unbleached, all purp
1 c Sugar
1/2 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts -Salt
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/2 ts Cloves, ground
1/4 c Espresso;strong brewed,cold&
1 tb Espresso;strong brewed, cold
1 tb Milk; &
1 ts Milk
1 Egg yolk, large
1 ts Vanilla
3/4 c Hazelnuts; toasted, skinned*
-chopped coarse
1/2 c Chocolate chips, semisweet

*To toast & skin hazelnuts, put in one layer in preheated 350F oven
for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are colored lightly and skins
blistered. Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and let them steam for 1
minute. Rub the nuts in the towel to remove as much skin as possible
and let them cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
blend the flour, the sugar, the baking soda, the baking powder, the
salt, the cinnamon and the cloves until the mixture is combined well.
In a small bowl whisk together the espresso, the milk, the yolk and
the vanilla, adding the mixture to the flour mixture , beating until
a dough is formed, and stir in the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, knead it several times
and halve it. Working on a large buttered and floured baking sheet,
with floured hands, form each piece of dough into a flattish log 12
inches long by 2 inches wide and arrange the logs at least 3 inches
apart on the sheet.
Bake the logs in the middle of a preheated 350F oven for 35 minutes
and let them cool on the baking sheet on a rack for about 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300F. On a cutting board, cut the logs
crosswise on the diagonal into 3/4 inch slices , arrange the
biscotti, cut sides down, on the baking sheet, and bake them for 5 to
6 minutes on each side, or until they are pale golden. Transfer the
biscotti to racks to cool and store them in airtight containers.
MAKES: about 32 BISCOTTI

SOURCE: Gourmet magazine, December 1992

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups Gold Medal whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Heat oven to 375 F.

Mix sugars, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips. Feeling a little nutty? Go ahead and add 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts with the chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Did You Know?
The word cookie comes from the Dutch word for cake, "koekje". The first cookies were actually tiny cakes baked as a test to make sure that the oven temperature was right for baking a larger cake.
Source: Gold Medal Flour, a Reg. TM of General Mills, Inc.