Turns out, biscotti are genius and easy to make. Challenged to make a dessert for the Blueberry Farm Bakehouse, I came up with this recipe. The chocolate dipping sauce, which I paired with black pepper and lemon (don't knock it 'til you try it!) offered a sweet-savory pair to the slightly sour hint of the tart blueberries in the dry cookies. Mmm! Pass the tea and bikkies!
BISCOTTI (with blueberries and chocolate chips)
2 cups white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
1 egg white
2 tbs grated lemon peel
chocolate chips and blueberries to taste/appearance
Preheat the oven to 350*F. Mix dry ingredients and gently beat eggs. Mix dry and wet ingredients, then turn in chips & berries. The dough will be a little wet, but don't fret. Using a spatula and floured hands, scoop out 1/2 the dough and form a log about 10-12" long. Make a second log of the remaining dough. Space them at LEAST 6" apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes, until just firm. Remove from oven, and cut at a harsh diagonal (see below photo) into slices about 1/2" thick. Reduce heat to 325*F and bake for 15 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK! They'll harden as they cool.
To make the chocolate dipping sauce, the easiest way is to set up a pan of water and put a bowl in it as the water boils. Put a bar of chocolate in the bowl, add milk and a bit of butter, and then your flavorings. I seasoned it with black pepper and lemon (to taste). The more/less milk & butter you add, the texture and thickness of the dipping sauce changes. Duh. It's delish and easy.
Other killer combos: dried fruits dipped in a honey-tinted chocolate sauce; chocolate chip biscotti with lemon sugar sprinkled on, and cinnamon biscotti with honey. I mean, you can't go wrong. Yum.
