What's great about it

I know that I write about goodies, snacks, and treats, quite a bit. I like to write about them, and obviously you like to read about them because those topics get way more views than dinners, side dishes, or vegetables. I can't imagine how low the page views would be if I wrote about a new salad.... I think this is funny, because hopefully we all make dinners, and side dishes, and vegetables, and even salads, but nobody wants to read about them as much as we want to read about delicious desserts, candy, donuts, or other pastries and/or confectioneries.
I personally spend most of my time in those areas of cookbooks, I feel giddy flipping through pages of pictures of delicious-looking, cakes, pies, danishes, cream puffs, and tarts. (I don't buy cookbooks that don't have pictures...lots and lots of pictures) And there is a new treat that I have discovered, that I wanted to share here. Since it's discovery, I have had multiple requests for it, a few for the recipe, and I think it is absolutely delicious.

It is a cappuccino flavored biscotti, with hazelnuts and chocolate chips. This is a little different than the biscotti you are used to, because it is not quite as hard. There is a definite coffee flavor, not like a lot of things that have a coffee title, and it is not overly sweet, which means you can eat more ;).
Of course you can switch up the biscotti, omit the espresso powder, add white chocolate and cranberries, dip it in something, add dried apricots and almonds, etc. You get the idea. I love recipes like this that I can improvise on. Even though I haven't felt the urge yet...it may happen someday. This recipe calls for espresso powder, which can be found in the imported section of the grocery store. It really makes the difference in this recipe, but if you CANNOT get it or whatever, use finely ground coffee. It's not as good but it will do in a pinch.


Cappuccino Biscotti with Hazelnuts and Chocolate
from Cindy Mushet's The Art and Soul of Baking

1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons warm water
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped skinned hazelnuts (toasted if desired)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 and position an oven rack in the center.
In a small bowl, stir together the espresso powder and warm water until the powder is dissolved. Set aside.

Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth and slightly lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the espresso mixture and blend well. Scrape down the bowl with the spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
In the medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture all at once. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and blend slowly, just until there are not more patches of flour. Scrape down the bowl.
Add the hazelnuts and chocolate chips and mix on low just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir gently a few times to make sure the nuts and chips are evenly distributed and there are no more patches of unincorporated flour or butter.
Divide the dough in half. On a floured work surface, gently squeeze and roll each piece to shape into logs about 13 inches long. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the logs on the sheet about 4 inches apart. Press down on the logs, flattening them slightly until they are each about 2 inches across the top. Place the second baking sheet under the first. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until they are firm to the touch and lightly golden brown. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Turn the oven down to 275 and position two racks in the top and bottom of the oven. Carefully transfer the logs to a cutting surface. Use a serrated knife to slice the logs on a slight diagonal. into cookies 3/8 of an inch thick. Line the second baking sheet with parchment. Place the cookies, cut side down on the baking sheets. Toast the cookies in the oven, switching the sheets between the racks and rotating halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes, until dry and lightly tinged with color. Transfer to a cooling rack.
While the cookies are toasting, prepare the finishing sugar. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. As soon as the cookies are out of the oven and on the rack, immediately roll them in the cinnamon and sugar and return to the baking sheets to cool completely.
The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.