Sometimes Baking Helps You Get Through Dental School

It also helps to eat what you baked - with coffee. Thanks, Jenn and Goodie, for the recipe! I'm baking tomorrow!

Chocolate-Cherry-Almond Biscotti

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Kosher salt

3/4 cup dried tart cherries, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped

3 large whole eggs, plus 1 large egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)

1/8 teaspoon almond extract (essence)

Directions:

Position racks in the upper third and lower third of the oven and preheat to 325F. Line 2 baking sheets, preferably insulated sheets, with parchment (baking) paper. (We just used wax paper.)In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well mixed. Add the cherries and almonds and toss with your hands to distribute them evenly.In another bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg white, and vanilla and almond extracts. Pour into the dry ingredients. Using a fork, mix together the dry and wet ingredients, taking care to work all the bits of dry ingredients into the dough. This will take about 5 minutes. The dough will be (really) dense and sticky. Divide the dough in half.Place a piece of plastic wrap 18 inches long on the countertop. Transfer half of the dough to the plastic wrap. Lightly moisten your hands with cold water to prevent the dough from sticking to them, then shape the dough into a flattened log 12 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide by 1 inch high. Lifting the plastic wrap and cradling the dough, flip the dough onto the center of one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough, flipping it onto the second prepared baking sheet.Bake the logs until they are dry to the touch and firm in the center when pressed with your fingers, about 30 minutes. They will spread considerably and may crack slightly on top. Transfer to wire racks and let the logs cool on the pans for 30 minutes. The logs will be slightly warm to the touch.Carefully transfer the logs to a cutting board and set the parchment-lined panes aside. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal into slices 1/2 inch wide.Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the lined baking sheets, placing them close together but not touching. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and using tongs or a spatula, turn the biscotti. Continue to bake until dry and crisp, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the biscotti to wire racks to cool completely. Store the biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. Serve with coffee or hot chocolate.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.~30 minutes prep time 60 minutes total bake time