If you find Ferrero Rocher mind-blowing, then prepare your mind and tastebuds for this Double Chocolate Chunk Gianduja Biscotti stuffed full of Valrhona dark and milk chocolates, roasted hazelnuts and dipped in Gianduja. BOOM!
You're so very welcome!
I made biscotti for the first time last year, using a recipe from one of my culinary courses. It's a solid recipe that I continue to use as the base for all my biscotti baking. They went over so well, I decided to include them as part of my edible gifts for friends and some colleagues over the holidays and went on a bit biscotti baking spree. I shared some here, here, here and here.
Biscotti, or twice-baked cookies, are such a treat with a hot drink. They are ridiculously easy to make, so there really isn't any good reason to continue purchasing their suboptimal store-bought counterparts. Once you have made a batch, you will quickly reach this conclusion.
I remember trying my first biscotti while on vacation years ago. I didn't really know what to expect and complained that it was stale after my first bite. My friend nicely told me that they're meant to be that way and I was adamant they weren't. So me, being my super picky self, would not accept it and asked for my money back. Yeah, I am that person. Days later when we tried the biscotti at a different establishment, I quickly realized that I was wrong and she was correct and that I'd pretty much embarrassed us both. She has never let me forget that.
To this day, however, I am not a huge fan of the extra, extra baked biscotti. I like them baked to a crisp, but not to the point that they are rendered flavourless, crumbly, over-baked bricks.
These Double Chocolate Chunk Gianduja Biscotti are baked to perfection and then baked just a little longer for that crisp texture with a little chew. Exactly as I prefer them. If your preference is super crunchy through and through, then just lengthen the time on your second bake to dry them out a little more. Dipping them in the gianduja, which is a mix of chocolate (dark or milk) and hazelnut paste, really adds that Ferrero Rocher element.
As I mentioned earlier, they are a breeze to make. The flavour combinations are as vast as your imagination and the flours may be substituted with a GF blend and almond meal combo, if you are following a gluten-free diet. They keep for a few weeks when stored in an airtight container at room temperature and are actually tastier a day or two after being baked, which makes them perfect to keep on hand to serve with tea or coffee to your guests.
So tell me, how do you like your biscotti? Super crunchy or with a little chew? Plain or dipped and sprinkled? Straight up or dunked in a hot beverage? Pressing questions, friends. Don't leave me hanging...
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More Cookie Love:
Mascarpone Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
Biscotti
- 325 g bread flour approx. 2 ⅔ cups
- 325 g pastry flour approx. 3 cups
- 500 g brown sugar 2 2/2 cups
- 25 g baking powder 2 ¼ tbsps
- 300 g butter approx. 1 ⅓ cups
- 250 g dark chocolate 1 ¼ cups, roughly chopped
- 250 g milk chocolate 1 ¼ cups, roughly chopped
- 100 g hazelnuts ½ cup, roasted and skinned
- 5 eggs
- 15 g vanilla bean paste 1 tbsp
Chocolate Dip
- 100 g Gianduja
- 20 g dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Bake hazelnuts on a small baking tray until golden and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes. Allow to cool a bit, then place in a clean towel and rub the skins off. Set aside.
- Add the bread flour, pastry flour, brown sugar and baking powder to the bowl of a stand mixer and combine using the paddle attachment.
- Cut the butter into cubes and add to the flour mixture. Continue to mix to a crumbly texture.
- Mix in the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and hazelnuts.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and vanilla bean paste to break up the eggs.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix just until dough has formed.
- Divide the dough into two pieces and shape into 24-inch logs on a parchment-lined baking tray. (see it here)
- Bake for 20-30 minutes and remove from oven. Lower oven temperature to 300ºF.
- Allow the biscotti to cool, then slice at an angle about ¾ inch thick with a large serrated knife.
- Return to the oven and allow them to dry for 15 minutes - a little longer if you like a really dry biscotti.
- Remove and allow to cool completely before dipping in the dark chocolate.
To make the dip:
- Place gianduja in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water and melt to 45º.
- Remove from heat and stir in the dark chocolate until a working temperature of 29º - 30º is reached.
- Dip the biscotti and place on a parchment covered baking tray to set.
Notes
Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Regina says
Mmm...love me some biscotti with my coffee. And that chocolate hazelnut combo sounds fantastic.
I had the same reaction with my first biscotti. I told my mom the cookies she just bought were super old and hard. My little sister had to educate me that they are for dunking and supposed to be that way 😀
I Sugar Coat It! says
LOL... pleased I am not alone!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Yum!!! These look mouthwatering! I love the double chocolate and hazelnut combo! Definitely wish I had some right now! My neighbors used to always make us a batch for Christmas and theirs was always slightly chewy with a nice crunch and we always dunked them except in hot chocolate. I haven't made my own since last Christmas but we still love to dunk them too 🙂
I Sugar Coat It! says
I think your neighbours and I would get along just fine! 😉
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
What a perfect afternoon snack! The double chocolate has my undivided attention!
I Sugar Coat It! says
I wouldn't have it any other way. 😉
Rita Vascimini says
Hi. These look awesome! But where do you buy Gianduja in the U.S.? Thanks!
I Sugar Coat It! says
Thanks, Rita! Not sure where you would get it in the U.S. I just checked and it looks like Amazon carries the Callebaut, I only see the 5lb size. You can also make it. I will blog a how-to soon.
Rita Vascimini says
Thanks Sugar! Someone told me that Gianduja was Nutella here. Is this true?
I Sugar Coat It! says
Not exactly. Nutella contains about 13% hazelnuts, while a good quality gianduja may contain as much as 50% with noticeably different flavour profiles. I've had both and there is just no comparison in my opinion. The stuff I buy comes like a chocolate block and is more versatile than the spread - I use it in chocolate making mostly. These are just my opinions, however, so please take them with a grain of salt. 🙂 That said, I imagine you would be able to use the nutella with the chocolate in this application for dipping. I have not done so myself, so not sure how the chocolate would set and how much you will need, so you would have to play around. Would love to know if you do!!
Rita Vascimini says
Thanks so much for your prompt reply Sugar! Now that I know they are different I will try to find the gianduja here. If I can't find it I will try using the Nutella but I bet it won't set well. I will let you know. Thanks again!