Tag: Cocoa

Cocoa Nib Biscotti

My Happy Place

Does reading cookbooks make you happy like it does for me?  I could spend hours flipping through the pages, imagining how I could put my own spin on the recipes.

A few weeks ago, I came across Laura Frankel’s “Jewish Cooking for All Seasons” that was tucked away in my bookshelf.  The recipe that stood out to me was her Cocoa Nib Biscotti – and I decided THIS was one I was going to recreate.

Crunchy Goodness

What the heck are these cocoa nibs exactly?  Well, they’re small pieces of crushed up cocoa beans – think unsweetened chocolate chips. After the cocoa is harvested, they’re fermented then “cracked” into these small pieces, a.k.a. cocoa nibs!

They have a chocolately but slightly bitter flavor. I happen to love mixing them into yogurt, maybe with some almond butter and berries, but if you’re not used to the bitterness, make sure to add some sweetness to balance it out.

The “Rachel” Version

Full disclosure – not all recipes can be easily swapped for almond flour with the regular all-purpose flour.  But I decided to try it out and lo and behold, it worked! It was delicious, but not TOO hard and crunchy. You know when you have to dip your biscotti into hot coffee because you could risk breaking a tooth?  No worries here, because these turned out with the perfect texture.  They would also be delicious with shredded coconut, or swapping the vanilla extract for maple extract! And of course, if you don’t want to hunt for cocoa nibs (I get mine at Whole Foods), use chocolate chips, or sliced almonds instead. 🙂

As the weather starts to get colder (I know, it saddens me that summer is leaving us), these are a great option for a dessert, or maybe for your Rosh Hashanah table, as a nice break from the traditional honey cake.  Or when the weather gets REALLY cold, by all means – dunk those in a big mug of hot chocolate and get cozy.  Hello, comfort food!

And of course, thank you to Laura for the inspiration.  Enjoy!

________________________________________________________________

Check out some more dessert recipes from MYV!

Lemon Coconut Almond Cake

Coffee Coconut Date Balls

Chocolate Avocado Pudding (trust me, it’s GOOD)

Dairy-free Maple Cinnamon Custard

Almond Butter Snickerdoodles

0 from 0 votes
Print
Cocoa Nib Biscotti
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups Almond flour
  • 3/4 cup Sugar (or sugar substitute, like Swerve or Stevia)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 3 Large eggs
  • 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Cocoa nibs (or just use chocolate chips if you prefer)
  • 1/4 tsp + 1 pinch Ground cinnamon
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  2. Place all ingredients except the cocoa nibs in a large bowl and mix with either a wooden spoon, or using a hand mixer, blend until dough comes together

  3. Add in the cocoa nibs and mix until combined

  4. Shape into a loaf and score into 1/2 inch thick slices (or as many slices as you prefer)

  5. Bake for 30 minutes until starting to get lightly golden brown

  6. Slice the biscotti and place each slice back on the baking sheet

  7. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top and bake for another 10 minutes until crispy and golden brown