Spiced Cappuccino Biscotti

It's been a while around here. I wish I had some funky, exciting reason for why I've been missing from this space but instead all I have to say is that I fell sick. It's been a while since I've fallen sick, so when I got hit, I got hit realll bad! Of course, with perfect timing, I fell sick a few days before Diwali and its been a slow and cautious recovery since then. And with that, my Diwali post for which I had grand plans were junked because forget going near the kitchen, I wasn't going near any food! And while this is a bit late in the day, I hope you had a beautiful Diwali with your family and friends!!

 

 

And like I said earlier, it's been a slow recovery out here. The food cravings have returned but I have been advised to take it easy. And then, just like that, this week, I have been feeling good enough to want to pre-heat the oven!!

 

Not wanting to risk the recovery by baking something that would be too heavy or rich, I decided to ease back into things by zeroing in on these biscotti. These are coffee biscotti that have been flavoured with cinnamon and cloves and then, for good measure, some chocolate chips. And what works in their favour is how easy it is to make them.

 

 

These biscotti do not really score on their looks but you can't fault them on their flavour. The dominant flavour is that of cloves which is a refreshing change to the usual cinnamon that I tend to lean towards. The coffee got a bit lost but then maybe I should have gone for a stronger brew. And those chocolate chips can only make everything better.

 

Since, there is no butter, these biscotti are crunchy which means they are perfect for dipping into those steaming cuppas that this season calls for.

 

 

I should hopefully be getting back into the groove with the blog over the next few days. In the meanwhile, how have you been?? Hope life's been treating you well!!

 

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Spiced Cappuccino Biscotti

Recipe adapted from 'Joy of Baking'

Makes 10-12 biscotti

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, powdered
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves, powdered
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/8 cup espresso or strong coffee, cooled
• 1/2 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
• In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon powder and clove powder; stir well to mix.
• In another bowl, whisk the espresso with the milk and the vanilla extract and then add only half of the beaten egg. 
• Then, use a rubber spatula to stir into the dry ingredients. Continue to stir until a stiff dough forms. The dough may seem dry at this point but it will come together as it is kneaded.
• Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough under the palms of your hands into a 10-inch cylinder. Press down gently with the palm of your hand to flatten the log until it is about 2 inches wide and I inch high. Transfer them to the prepared pan.
• First Baking: Bake the log for 30 minutes, or until they are slightly risen and firm to the touch. Slide the logs, parchment paper and all, off the baking sheet and onto a cooling rack. The logs must be completely cool before you can continue with the recipe. This will take about 20 minutes to cool. Lower the oven temperature to 150 deg C.
• Second Baking: When the log has completely cooled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Working with a sharp serrated knife, cut the cooled log diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the sliced cookies cut side down on the pans and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are crisp and golden. Cool on the pans.
• Store in an airtight tin or plastic container.