Recipe: Crisp Chocolate Biscotti

the appetizer:

Making healthy desserts is a snap with Nick Malgieri's Perfect Light Desserts. Here are some "Perfect" Dessert Tips from the book, and sample recipes like Easy Chocolate Mousse, Crisp Chocolate Biscotti and Lemon Cheese Tart with Strawberries.

Crisp Chocolate Biscotti

Makes about 60 biscotti

This is a streamlined version of an excellent biscotti recipe shared by my friend cake designer Ellen Baumwoll. Adding walnuts to the dough increases calories but provides richness to what would otherwise be a somewhat plain cookie.

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
2/3 cup alkalized (Dutch-process) cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) walnut pieces, coarsely chopped
6 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Two cookie sheets or jelly-roll pans lined with parchment or foil

Instructions:

Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour and cocoa into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the baking powder, salt, sugar, and nuts.

Whisk the egg whites and vanilla together and add to the dry ingredients. Use a large rubber spatula to stir the dough together. At first the dough may seem dry, but as the sugar continues to melt, the dough will become softer and eventually quite sticky.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press it together. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and roll each into a log the approximate length of the pan you are using. Arrange the two logs of dough on one pan (the other will be used later for toasting the biscotti). Make sure the logs of dough aren't too close to each other or to the side of the pan. Flatten each log with the palm of your hand.

Bake the logs of dough for about 30 minutes, or until they are well risen and firm when pressed with a fingertip. Leave the oven on and place racks in the upper and lower thirds.

Cool the baked logs on the pan on a rack.

After the logs of dough have cooled completely, place them on a cutting board and use a sharp serrated knife to cut them into straight or diagonal slices 1/2-inch thick.

Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the prepared pans and return them to the oven to toast for about 15 minutes.

Cool the toasted biscotti on the pans on racks.

Serving: Very good on their own or dunked into coffee, these cookies also dress up a plain sherbet or ice milk.

Storage: Keep the biscotti between sheets of wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Per biscotto: 44 calories, 2 g total fat (41% of calories), 0 g saturated fat, 1 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 38 mg sodium

from:
Perfect Light Desserts
Fabulous Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and More Made with Real Butter, Sugar, Flour, and Eggs, All Under 300 Calories Per Generous Serving
By Nick Malgieri, David Joachim
William Morrow
$29.95 U.S. / $37.95 Canada
Hardcover
ISBN 0-06-077929-2
Recipe reprinted by permission.

Buy Perfect Light Desserts