Chocolate-Espresso-Pistachio Biscotti

evelyn/athens's Note:

I had some pistachios in the freezer that I needed to use up and I developed this recipe. I think it came out quite nicely, not too sweet. Hazelnuts or almonds can be substituted for the pistachios (make sure to toast them first). Let me know what you think!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 40 biscotti

• 3 1/2 cups flour, plus up to
• 2 tablespoons more flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons espresso powder (I use Nescafe)
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2-2 cups pistachios

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a large rectangular baking pan with a light coating of olive oil.
3. Sift all dry ingredients together.
4. In small bowl, dissolve espresso powder in 1/3 cup water.
5. Add eggs and olive oil and beat with a whisk until well-combined.
6. Pour wet ingredients into dry, add pistachios and (yes, I do this by hand) start mixing the flour gently into the liquids until all the ingredients have been incorporated and you have a malleable dough.
7. If the dough is a bit sticky, sprinkle over 1 tablespoonful of flour and turn dough into the flour to coat.
8. Knead the flour in.
9. The dough should now be malleable without being sticky.
10. If it is still sticky, repeat with another tablespoonful of flour.
11. Cut dough into 3 equal pieces and shape into logs that are about 12 inches long and 2 ½ inches wide (every person’s logs are slightly different – they will spread while baking so have a good distance between them).
12. Bake for 30 minutes.
13. The biscotti will have risen only slightly, spread out some, and have a cracked surface.
14. Cool completely.
15. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
16. With a serrated bread knife and a straight, downwards motion, cut biscotti at just under ½ inch intervals on the diagonal.
17. (this will leave you with 6 not-so-nice-looking end pieces that you can munch on there and then) Place the pieces, cut side down, back in the baking pan.
18. Not all the pieces may fit, in which case you’ll have to bake a second pan's worth after the first.
19. Staggering two pans is not suggested unless you have a convection oven and can use that feature to make sure there is even heat distributed within the oven.
20. Bake 15 minutes, turn pieces over, bake 15 minutes longer.
21. Cool completely and keep in an airtight container.

Reviews

[Vicki_in_Florida]

I followed the recipe exactly. Even folded in by hand (might not be necessary but I did it).
Came out great. Very tasty. I used Guittard cocoa powder. Since I used pistachio's..I melted some chocolate and added pistachio oil to it just to thin it a bit and gave each cookie a little swirl of chocolate on top. I used convection oven and two cookies sheets. First round was on 325 second round I did at 275 for 25 minutes. Will make these again..thanks for the recipe :)

[La Dilettante]

Delizioso! I subbed almonds and that was great---will try the 'stachios next time. I wish more people would try olive oil in baking---works wonderfully. Thanks for posting this!

[Kittencalskitchen]

this is an excellent biscotti recipe, I love the addition of cloves and espresso powder, I used extra-virgin olive oil for this and reduced the nuts and added in some mini chocolate chips also, this a nice change from the butter biscotti, thanks for sharing Ev!...Kitten:)