Cookbook Challenge, Week 7: Date Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti

[rebeccafrog]

This actually has me all caught up on Cookbook Challenge assignments! Very exciting. The Week 7 assignment was to make a dessert featuring fresh fruit, from the Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts, if you have it. I found this recipe not long after purchasing some Medjool dates, which are utterly wonderful, and if you make these, I rather strongly recommend putting them in an opaque container.

Date Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti

½ cup whole hazelnuts
¼ cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur), brandy, or chocolate liqueur
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups unbleached white flour
½ cup chopped pitted dates
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
  
• Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet, toast in oven about 10 minutes, until fragrant. Allow to cool a few minutes, then rub nuts in a clean towel to remove skins (you won't get them all off unless you are far more patient than I am). Coarsely chop nuts and set aside.
  
• Turn oven up to 350°F. Lightly oil baking sheet.
  
  
• Cream butter and sugar until light and blended.
  
• Beat in eggs, liqueur, and vanilla.
  
• Sift in baking soda, flour, and salt and mix well.
  
• Stir in nuts, dates, and chocolate.
  
  
• Working directly on the baking sheet, form dough into two logs about 3 inches in diameter. Pat logs to even thickness.
  
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until logs are set and firm.
  
• Cool on rack about 10 minutes.
  
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
  
• Using a sharp knife, cut logs on diagonal into slices about ½ inch thick.
  
• Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet and bake another 25 to 30 minutes, until firm and lightly browned.
  Nomnomnom.

They are decadent, but light enough that it is deceptively easy to eat several of them. A note on biscotti: it is totally ok to overbake them a bit. I prefer them a little extra toasty.