Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Pistachio Biscotti
Brian Hart Hoffman, founder and editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch magazine, created these delicious biscotti, which are particularly great for sending to friends and family around the holidays. He says crisp biscotti have a long shelf life and a rigid shape that can handle the long, bumpy road ahead. His chocolate-peanut butter combo is made all the more decadent by the addition of yuletide-green pistachios. Consider mailing these cookies with your favorite brand of coffee—the two are natural companions and make for a complete package. And don’t forget holiday cookie exchanges—everyone will be begging you for the recipe! When preparing these biscotti, Brian likes to use Guittard 64% cacao semisweet baking chocolate bars and Williams Sonoma espresso powder.
Ingredients:
- 6 oz. (170 g) 64% cacao semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 8 Tbs. (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 3/4 cup (70 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (82 g) peanut butter chips
- 1/2 cup (66 g) roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 325°F (170°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the top of a double boiler, place 4 oz. (113 g) of the chocolate. Cook over simmering water, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the melted chocolate, beating until well combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating just until combined and stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Fold in the peanut butter chips, pistachios and the remaining 2 oz. (57 g) chocolate.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 9-by-3-inch (23-by-7.5-cm) loaf and place 2 to 2 1/2 inches (5 to 6 cm) apart on the prepared pan.
Bake until the loaves are set and spring back when touched, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place 1 cooled loaf on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut crosswise into slices 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. Gently place, cut side down, 1/2 to 3/4 inch (12 mm to 2 cm) apart on the prepared pans. Repeat with the remaining loaf.
Bake, one batch at a time, until the cut sides feel toasted and mostly dry, about 25 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through baking. Let the biscotti cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then carefully transfer the biscotti to wire racks and let cool completely. (The biscotti will continue to crisp as they cool.) Repeat to bake the remaining biscotti. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 36 biscotti.
Recipe courtesy of Brian Hart Hoffman, founder and editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch
Recommended Products
-
$19.95
-
$12.95
-
$16.95
-
$249.95
(1135)
-
$34.95
-
$49.95
-
$39.95
-
$75
(32)