These have a nice surprise. You bite into them thinking “typical chocolate cookie” but then your mouth begins to warm from the chile. Beautiful with wine or coffee and great in the winter! The trick is getting the amount of chile right. I was too careful at first and halved the amount and you couldn’t even tell the chile was there. I increased it but not to the full amount that was asked for in the recipe and it was much better but I think it could have been increased to the full amount without being too hot. I noticed when I tried the batter it seemed to be “hotter” than in the cooked cookie. These were a great hit at my girls’ book club weekend!
Recipe by Art Smith
Makes about 28 biscotti
8 Tbls (1 stick) or 125 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 large orange
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups plus 3 Tbls all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp pure ground ancho chile powder (I found it Farros)
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup (2 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (3 ounces) dried cherries or dried cranberries (I sometimes use Cointreau or the juice from the zested orange and zap in the microwave for abut 30 seconds just so they will plump out a bit but you could use orange juice too or not even bother because the recipe doesn’t call for it.)
1 packet Nestle button melts, white or dark chocolate or a combination is really pretty.
Position the racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 350F (160C).
Using an electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl until well combined, about 3 minutes. beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, chile powder and salt to combine. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in the butter mixture. Work in the chocolate, walnuts and cherries or cranberries.
Divide the dough in half. Place on waxed paper on large baking sheets. Form the dough into 10 x 2 inch logs. Bake on the center rack until set and golden brown about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Using a serrated knife and a sawing motion, carefully cut the logs into diagonal slices about 1/2 inch wide. Place the slices on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until the undersides of the biscotti are beginning to brown at the edges, about 8 minutes. Turn the biscotti over. Switch the positions of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking until lightly browned on the other side about 8 minutes more. Once they have cooled melt the Nestle buttons according to packet instructions. Using a small spoon, drizzle the chocolate over quickly over the biscotti. (The biscotti can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, cooled, and tightly covered in an airtight container at room temperature.)
