Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti

These sophisticated cookies are dotted with bits of dried tart cherries. Serve them with strong hot coffee - or bowls of coffee ice cream.

SERVINGS
3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick), softened
3 large eggs
2 squares (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon instant expresso-coffee powder
1 teaspoon hot water
3/4 cup dried tart cherries, coarsely chopped

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour large cookie sheet. In medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat sugar and butter until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in chocolate until blended.

3. Dissolve espresso-coffee powder in water; beat into chocolate mixture. Add flour mixure and beat just until blended. With hands, knead in cherries until combined.

4. Divide dough in half; drop each half by spoonfuls down length of prepared cookie sheet. With floured hands, shape each half into 12" by 3" log, leaving about 3 inches in between. With pastry brush, brush off excess flour. Bake 30 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet on wire rack 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

5. Place logs on cutting board. With serrated knife, cut each log crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick diagonal slices. Place slices, cut side down on 2 cookie sheets. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, turning slices over and rotating sheet between upper and lower racks halfway through baking, until dry. With wide spatula, transfer biscotti to wire racks to cool completely.

NUTRITION
(based on individual servings)
Calories: 110
Total Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 4 mg
Sodium: 105 mg
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Protein: 2 g

Originally published in

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