You Read My Mind

Every Tuesday morning before our little ones go to pre-school, Jackie and I get together to cook or bake and the boys play. It’s a quick two hours, but we often get a lot accomplished. This past Tuesday, Jackie called early in the morning wondering what we should make. She started with the usual, telling me what she had in her pantry and what she’d like to make herself that week. With my cookie jar completely empty and my tummy rumbling for something sweet, I suggested chocolate chip biscotti. “You read my mind” she enthusiastically said and since we had both purchased mini chocolate chips a day before, we were all set. Sometimes, when you cook often with a friend, you’ll both subconsciously buy an ingredient for a food you’d like to make together and when the time is right, you’ll be prepared!

Since baking biscotti is a slow process, I got started with the first batch before Jackie arrived. When she walked in the door, my biscotti were already on their first bake and already smelling delicious. By the time she had hers molded into two logs, mine were ready to come out and cool before their second bake. The kids couldn’t wait for the second bake and snuck a bite of the hot-out-of the oven tempting treats (ok, so I couldn’t wait either and ate the ends too).

Here’s the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Biscotti
These chocolate chip biscotti are a perfect, low fat accompaniment to a cup of coffee. Add a bit of orange zest if you’d like for a hint of flavor.

2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, plus another one for egg wash
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/8 cup Demerara Washed Raw Cane Sugar for sprinkling

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, mix together flour, baking soda, butter, vanilla, eggs, white sugar, (orange zest if using) and salt until the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer mixture to a parchment paper lined surface, sprinkle the mini chocolate morsels evenly and mix until dough begins to form. (This may require quite a bit of work with your hands since the dough will be crumbly.) Separate into two pieces and mold into a log 8 inches long and 2 inches wide, pressing down and shaping until the dough is about an inch thick. Brush the top and sides of the log with egg wash and sprinkle the tops generously with sugar.

Bake in the center rack of the oven for approximately 30 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes. When cooled, slice into pieces ¼ inch thick on a diagonal. Place the cookies flat side down and bake for about 10 minutes. Flip once and bake the other side for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Store the biscotti in an airtight container for several weeks.