Dark Chocolate/Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

A lot of my friends and colleagues see me as a healthy eater and I am for the most part. But I have lots of weak moments too. Making these was a chance to cheat and not feel too guilty. Yes, there is sugar in these guys but they're small, so as long as I only have one a day, I don't feel too bad. 

What inspired them was my favorite scone from the Des Moines Farmer's Market that I periodically grab on Saturday mornings (my favorite weekend event in Des Moines). La Mie is a wonderful French bakery in Des Moines that brings a selection of their amazing baked goods to the Farmer's Market. They have a huge cinnamon chocolate chip scone that I have a weakness for. It's really too big but I seem to have no problem finishing it with my coffee.

The majority of the recipe is from this gal's blog over at Crumb, but I modified it slightly.  

James 3 begins with a challenge that is pretty personal to me. "Not many should become teachers...knowing that we will receive a stricter judgement." Then the chapter continues with warnings about the power of the tongue. James was probably addressing spiritual teachers but I kind of fit that role, being at a Christian school. I am held accountable for my speech, as we all are. I interact with a large age group each day and I set an example in everything I do. "Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way." Pretty sure I'll be working on this forever.

No, that one mug of coffee would not be enough for all the biscotti. Perfect for 2 though!

I didn't bake these on their sides very long so mine were not as crisp as most biscotti. I don't have dental coverage so I wanted to play it safe;)

Dark Chocolate/Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

Makes 16-18

2 cups flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

¼ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup cinnamon chips

2 tbsp strong brewed coffee

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp milk)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture is fine and crumbly.
3. Stir in chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, eggs, and coffee until the dough is just barely moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, about 8-10 times.
4. Flour hands and divide the dough in half. Place each half on a cookie sheet and shape into a foot-long roll, then gently flattening each one into a 2"-3" wide slab. Brush the top and sides of each slab with egg wash.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the top of the slabs feels firm and dry. Remove from the oven, but do not turn off the heat. Set the slabs on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
6. Once the slabs are cool enough to handle, cut crosswise into into 1" thick slices. Place slices upright, ¼ inch apart, on cookie sheets.
7. Place the slices on the baking sheet, cut sides down, and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, and continue baking for another 10 minutes (the cookies should be just a bit soft in the center – don’t worry, they’ll harden up once they cool). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then store in airtight containers.

-Just a note. I only did step 7 for 5 minutes on each side so they wouldn't be crazy hard. Do what you like!