Cookies and photos by Kelly Hong © Sarah Phillips
I LOVE biscotti, but I hate to pay the price that fancy coffee shops like to charge for them. Believe it or not, they are VERY easy to make at home. I make several different varieties but this one, Sesame Chocolate Chip, is my favorite. If you want to be extra fancy, or, if you want to give these as gifts, you can drizzle them with melted chocolate.
COOKIE RECIPE HELP
CYNDI65, Premium Member, Says: “This is the EASIEST recipe EVER, so I made a 2nd batch – using chocolate chips, finely chopped pecans and almond extract instead of vanilla. Yummy! lol”
INGREDIENTS
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons sesame seeds
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar mixture, for sprinkling
KELLY SAYS: I make cinnamon sugar by combining 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar with 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and set aside.
KELLY SAYS: For best results, I place the measured flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium-size fine mesh strainer, or a sifter, and sift into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the center and set aside.
3. Add sesame seeds and chocolate chips to dry ingredients and stir together.
4. Lightly beat together the eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl.
5. Add the egg mixture to the flour and dry ingredients and using a large wooden or metal spoon, mix until almost combined.
Knead the dough a few times in the bowl, untill it forms a cohesive mass.
6. Turn dough out onto countertop and cut in half with a bench scraper or sharp knife.
KELLY SAYS: I am using my bench scraper to cut the dough in half; I just press straight down to do so. You can weigh each dough piece to make sure they are evenly sized, if desired!
7. Roll each section into about 12-inches long.
Place logs on the prepared baking sheet and press each log gently, with your fingertips, to flatten to about 1 1/2-inches thick.
Sprinkle each log lightly with cinnamon sugar.
8. Bake the logs for 30 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and covered with tiny cracks.
Remove loaves from oven – without turning off the oven – and cool, on a rack, for about 5 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
9. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Line another baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper so you have two baking sheets.
Cut each cooled loaf, on the diagonal, into slices 3/4-inch thick.
Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheets (you will need 2) and place biscotti back into the oven. Toast biscotti for 12 minutes and then flip over, to toast the other side, for 12 additional minutes.
Remove biscotti from pans and cool on wire rack. When cool, biscotti will be dry and crispy. Enjoy with a nice cup of espresso or coffee. YUM!
STORAGE
Biscotti keep for 2 weeks or so in an airtight container or for 3 months frozen.
