At this time of the year, in such cold weather, is there anything more enjoyable than a cup of hot chocolate or coffee?  For me, several cups of coffee are part of my morning ritual and serve as a comforting start to each day.  These chocolate walnut biscotti are a delicious snack that should be enjoyed with your favorite warm beverage – whether it’s in the morning, evening or throughout the day. This recipe is surprisingly simple and the perfect addition to your cookie repertoire. The dough in this recipe is very sticky, so be sure to use ample flour on your work surface and hands when handling.

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup walnut pieces, roughly chopped
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons coffee extract
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a separate baking sheet.  Toast them in the oven, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool the sheet on a wire rack.  Keep the oven on.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, baking soda, and salt.  Beat on low speed until the ingredients are well combined and no butter pieces are visible, about 4 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, coffee extract and vanilla. Add this mixture to the ingredients in the bowl of the electric mixer and beat on low speed to combine.  Add the cooled nuts and the chocolate chips and beat just to combine.

Turn out the dough onto a generously floured work surface and divide it in half. Shape each portion into a 16 x 2 inch log and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart.

Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the logs are firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.  Transfer the logs (still on the parchment paper) to a wire rack and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F.

Transfer the warm logs to a cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into 1/3-inch thick slices.  Arrange the slices, cut side up on the baking sheet.  Bake until the biscotti are dry and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the sheet of biscotti cool completely on the rack.

The biscotti can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

original recipe found here