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From the Italian Christmas kitchen

Dark Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Almonds, citrus and a little Christmas tradition.

Pale golden almond biscotti with distinct pieces of 70% dark chocolate.

Pale golden almond biscotti with distinct pieces of 70% dark chocolate.
Dark Chocolate Almond Biscotti
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Dark Chocolate Almond Biscotti

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Hands-on30 min
Chill / restNot required
All batches70 min
Cooling45 min
Total time145 min
Yield28 cookies

Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.

Allow about 145 minutes: 30 hands-on, 0 chilling or resting, 70 whole-batch cooking and 45 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.

Pale golden almond biscotti with distinct pieces of 70% dark chocolate.

Ingredients

Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.

Instructions

Prepare the dough

  1. 1Prepare the doughWhisk flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter with sugar just until smooth, then beat in eggs and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture until nearly combined. Add cooled roasted almonds and chopped dark chocolate and fold until evenly dispersed. This is a pale dough with dark chocolate pieces, not a cocoa dough.

Shape and bake the logs

  1. 2Shape and bake the logsHeat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan while preparing the dough. Line two 13 × 18-inch baking sheets with parchment. Divide dough in half and form two logs on one sheet, each 10 inches long, 2 inches wide and about 3/4 inch high, leaving 4 inches between them. Shape with the spatula and clean hands without extra flour. Bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes until the tops are set and the centers resist a light press. Keep the second sheet for drying.

Rest and cut

  1. 3Rest and cutLet logs rest on the sheet for 15 minutes, counted in cooling time. Reduce oven to 300°F (149°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan. Move logs to a board and use a sharp serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion. Cut on a shallow diagonal into 14 slices per log, approximately 5/8 inch thick, counting the end pieces. This makes 28 finished individual cookies.

Dry every slice

  1. 4Dry every sliceLay 14 slices cut-side down on each lined sheet. Bake one sheet for 10 minutes, turn each slice and bake for 10 more minutes. Repeat with the second sheet; drying both batches takes 40 minutes. Total oven time, including the first bake, is up to 70 minutes. The crumb should feel dry around the edges; dark chocolate pockets may still be soft when warm.

Cool and finish

  1. 5Cool and finishCool on a rack for 30 minutes after the final drying batch, then pack in an airtight tin. The 45-minute cooling allowance includes the earlier 15-minute log rest. Cool completely before sealing so trapped steam does not soften the crumb.

Chef’s Science & Pro Tips

Ingredient science

Chop chocolate into small pieces so the slicing knife does not drag large slabs.

Technique & texture

Keep the chopped chocolate cool before folding it in.

Finishing & serving

Allow the log rest before slicing and wipe melted chocolate from the knife.

Storage and make-ahead

Keeping your cookies fresh
MethodHow longWhat to do
Room temperatureUp to 5 daysKeep fully cooled cookies in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place; store separately from soft cookies.
RefrigeratorNot recommended for textureRefrigerator humidity can soften the crisp crumb. Choose a cool pantry or freeze the baked cookies instead.
FreezerUp to 1 monthFreeze only fully baked and cooled cookies in an airtight freezer container with parchment between layers.
ThawingAbout 1 hourThaw in the closed container at room temperature; let condensation settle before opening.
RefreshingBefore servingIf uncoated cookies soften, heat at 300°F (149°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan for 5–8 minutes and cool completely. Fruit and chocolate inclusions may remain soft.

Notes

  • Chop chocolate into small pieces so the slicing knife does not drag large slabs. Keep the chopped chocolate cool before folding it in. Allow the log rest before slicing and wipe melted chocolate from the knife. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 28; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.

Calories101 kcal
Fat4.4 g
Saturated fat1.9 g
Carbohydrates13.6 g
Sugar6.3 g
Fiber0.8 g
Protein2.1 g
Sodium42 mg
Serving size1 cookie
A platter of Italian Christmas cookies
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS BAKINGReal ingredients. Clear steps. Italian Christmas magic.Almonds, citrus and thoughtful baking
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the crumb pale?

Dark chocolate is included as pieces; there is no cocoa powder in this recipe.

Can I use milk chocolate?

It changes sweetness and melting behavior. Use 70% dark chocolate for the listed formula.

Should I melt the chocolate first?

No. Keep it in small solid pieces to create visible chocolate pockets.

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Share a little Italian Christmas joy

Send this recipe to someone who loves to bake.