Biscotti Bliss!

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Who doesn’t love a good biscotti cookie? As cold weather sets in, we’re all more inclined to reach for hot beverages, and biscotti are the perfect cookies to savor with a steamy cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. I recently made a batch of these scrumptious, twice-baked treats, and they totally hit the spot. I have a feeling that in the next month or two, I’ll be experimenting with a few different batches of biscotti, including a peppermint variety!

Here’s what I was munching on last weekend:

Almond Chocolate-Chip Biscotti
3 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour, or 1 1/2 cups each
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 tsp. almond extract
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
Additional chocolate for drizzling, optional

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Lightly oil two cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, applesauce, oil, and extracts.
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. As a firm dough starts to form, knead in the chocolate chips with your hands.
• Divide the dough into two pieces.
• With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one half into an 11- by 3 1/2-inch-long rectangular “log”, about 3/4 inches thick, and place it on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the other half.
• Bake for about 25 minutes.
• Remove the pans and reduce the heat to 300°F.
• On a cooling rack, let the logs sit for 20 minutes, until very firm.
• On a cutting board, cut the logs into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Use a large, sharp knife (one without a serrated edge) and push the blade down in one firm motion. No sawing, please—that will break the biscotti!
• Place the slices back on the cookie sheets, cut side down.
• Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.
• Turn the slices over and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.
• Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let the biscotti cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, you can drizzle melted chocolate on top. (Let the chocolate set before serving.)
• Store in an airtight container. These cookies should store for up to two weeks—but I can’t imagine anyone letting them last that long!

Makes approximately 30 cookies

What kind of biscotti is your favorite, and which steaming-hot beverage do you like to pair it with?