Chocolate, Cherry, and Hazelnut Biscotti

Package a dozen of these cookies in decorative plastic bags or cellophane from a craft store, and present with high-quality coffee beans. Make sure to use a heavy-duty stand mixer for this recipe's very stiff dough.

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 biscotto)

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  hazelnuts
• 1/2  cup  port or other sweet red wine
• 1/2  cup  dried cherries
• 1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
• 3  ounces  bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1  large egg
• 1  large egg yolk
• 4.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1/2  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1  tablespoon  instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, stirring once. Turn nuts out onto a towel. Roll up towel; rub off skins. Chop nuts.

3. Pour wine in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Add cherries, and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain well.

4. Place sugar and chocolate in a food processor; process until chocolate is finely ground.

5. Place vanilla, egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (about 1 minute). Add sugar mixture; beat 1 minute.

6. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients, and stir with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating until blended. Add hazelnuts and cherries; beat just until blended. (The dough will be very stiff.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly several times. Divide dough in half; shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; pat each roll to a 1-inch thickness. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.

7. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

8. Cut each roll diagonally into 12 slices. Place, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Cool completely on wire rack.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

94 (34% from fat)

Fat:

3.5g (sat 1g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.3g)

Protein:

1.9g

Carbohydrate:

14.2g

Fiber:

1.3g

Cholesterol:

17mg

Iron:

0.9mg

Sodium:

61mg

Calcium:

29mg