Hazelnut - Chocolate Biscotti

The coffee was brewing and the Biscotti was done. Two cups were ready and the only thing missing was you Becky. The biscotti recipe was revised from a recipe I found on the internet in 1998; Corby Kummer's Unbeatable Biscotti. I substituted hazelnuts for the almonds and took 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips (all broken up after thrown in coffee grinder) and threw that in. Awesome by themselves or with beverage of choice.

! 1/4 cups whole, unblanched almonds
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp, baking soda (substitute baking powder)
1/8 tsp. salt (pinch)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
[1/2 tsp. almond extract]
Extra flour (for board)

Set oven at 350 degrees and place the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 8 - 10 minutes or until they begin to perfume the kitchen. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.
Reduce the oven temp. to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or with foil ten butter and flour it.
Place the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in an electric mixer and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the vanilla. With the mixer set on low speed, blend the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture. The dough will cohere after a minute or two but will be messy and sticky.
Beat in the nuts and mix just until they begin to break up. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Using a pastry scraper and more flour as needed, turn the dough over onto itself three or four times to distribute the nuts.
Let the dough rest for a minute. Divide it into two equal pieces and with lightly floured hands, elongate each piece into a strip 2-3 inches wide and 12 inches long. Carefully transfer the strips to a baking sheet, leaving 4 inches between them. ( you can use 2 sheets also)
Bake the strips for 45 - 50 minutes or until they are golden. Remove them from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
Carefully transfer the strips to a cutting board and using a sharp serrated knife, cut the strips on a diagonal into 1/2 inch slices. Place back on cooking sheet cut side up and return to oven and bake another 30-35 minutes.
Remove and transfer to cooling rack. Store the cookies in a container that admits air, which will keep them from softening.
Makes about 2 dozen.

I sometimes dip on side into a good melted dark chocolate.