Peppermint Kahlua Chocolate-Dipped Biscotti ~ #CreativeCookieExchange

I am excited to be baking again with the #CreativeCookieExchange bakers. During my absence I followed along in the background and saw all the wonderful cookie creations everyone was baking, and now I am ready to join in the fun once again. It truly is amazing how much you can miss something, especially when you have talked yourself into believing you don't need to do it any more.


This month's theme is biscotti and everyone has come up with an amazing assortment of biscotti recipes. Before I settled on Peppermint Kahlua Chocolate-Dipped Biscotti I actually had another idea in mind.  I had a recipe that I thought I could adapt so I baked up a batch, but it turned out that the recipe was, well, weird, and no amount of tweaking was going to change that.  A fellow blogger just happened to post that she had a bottle of Gingerbread Kahlua (how did I miss buying this when it was available?), which reminded me that I had a bottle of Peppermint Mocha Kahlua, which naturally led to these biscotti.

Biscotti is one of my favorite cookies, and this recipe definitely hits the spot. I loved the deep chocolate flavor, with a hint of mint that was not overpowering. Whilst melted chocolate is good on anything - well almost - I can certainly see me making these again and leaving them plain, mostly so I can enjoy them with a good cup of coffee, and dip them in.  Yes, I admit I am a dipper and if you are too then I definitely recommend biscotti as your cookie of choice since it is double-baked and holds up rather nicely to being dunked.

Just a heads-up that although it is a stiff dough, it can still be quite sticky.  I found that by using a large serving spoon I was able to easily divide the dough in half in the mixing bowl, and then transfer it to the baking sheet so it could be shaped into a log. Also, a bread knife will help you slice through the biscotti quite easily and ensure that it doesn't crumble and break when you are cutting it into diagonal slices for the second bake.

I also need to disclose that I am somehow chocolate-melting impaired. Originally I wanted to use melted white chocolate because I thought the contrast would be really pretty, but after two attempts - one in the microwave and one on the stove stop using a double boiler - I conceded and decided to use regular chocolate chips. Embarrassingly, that didn't go much better and I had used the last of my chocolate chips. Since I did not want to go to the store I ended up adding some corn syrup to bring it back together and kept my fingers crossed that it would work. It still turned out too thick but was delicious on the biscotti despite this fact.

If you would like to know more about the #CreativeCookie Exchange and see what the other bakers made for the Biscotti theme please scroll down below the recipe.


Peppermint Kahlua Chocolate-Dipped Biscotti
(Printer-Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• 250g all-purpose flour
• 50g unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 85g salted butter, softened
• 200g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Peppermint-Mocha Kahlua
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 175g semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 225g semi-sweet chocolate and/or white chocolate, melted
• 85g finely crushed peppermint candies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and prepare large baking sheet by lining with parchment or a Silpat.
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 
4. Add eggs and beat until combined well. Add peppermint extract and Kahlua and combine well.
5. Stir in flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Mix in chocolate chips until combined.
6. Divide dough in half. Flour hands and form dough into two slightly flattened logs on prepared baking sheets, each approximately 30cm long and 5cm wide. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
7. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes.
8. Transfer to cutting board and cut diagonally into 2 cm slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until crisp. Cool on a rack.
9. Allow to cool completely, and then dip one end in melted chocolate and sprinkle with finely crushed peppermint candies. Let firm up on cooling rack.
10. Store in airtight containers up to 1 week. If not dipping in chocolate, biscotti may be kept wrapped in freezer safe plastic wrap and frozen up to a month.

Recipe adapted from She Wears Many Hats
For US measurements please click here.

Biscotti (or mandelbrot or any other twice baked cookie by any other name) are one of the perfect Holiday tin cookies! They last forever, and there are so many ways to make them festive. So we’ve got you covered--sweet, savory, low fat, loaded with decadence, you name it, we’ve got it! Happy Holidays!

You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month!

Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Almond Lemon Biscotti by Basic N Delicious
• Banana Walnut Biscotti by Upstate Ramblings
• Chocolate Almond Biscotti by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Toffee Biscotti by Live Bake Love
• Currant Walnut Biscotti by Magnolia Days
• Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Biscotti by Flours and Frostings
• Gingerbread Biscotti by Food Lust People Love
• Gluten Free Chocolate Biscotti by What Smells So Good?
• Holiday Biscotti Bar by The Spiced Life
• Honey Beescotti by Oven Delights
• Mocha Biscotti by A Baker's House
• Orange Pistachio Biscotti by 2 Cookin' Mamas
• Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti by A Shaggy Dough Story
• Peppermint Kahlua Chocolate-Dipped Biscotti by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• White Chocolate Glazed Gingerbread Biscotti by Christmas Tree Lane