Dark chocolate almond hazel nut biscotti
Every chocolatier knows that almonds and hazel nuts pair well with dark chocolate But I wondered, would it be acceptable to combine both almonds and hazel nuts in biscotti?
Of course it is! It's ludicrous to inhibit oneself from experimenting when baking or cooking.
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Along with hazel nuts, I chucked dark chocolate, spices, and coconut liqueur into my cauldronI mean, mixing bowl. The majority of the ingredients I've listed so far are unorthodox when preparing traditional biscotti. But I'm not attempting biscotti di Prato . I'm attempting to engage with my culinary creativity.
So, what we're my results?
Contents
- Introduction
- Objectives
- Ingredient List
- Equipment List
- Procedures
- Results
- Conclusion
Objectives
The primary objectives for the dark chocolate almond hazel nut biscotti we're the following:
- firm, light golden brown crust
- firm, crunchy crumb
- faint spicy odour
- faint to mild bittersweet chocolate taste
- moderately nutty taste
Ingredient List
Adapted from the website Joy of Baking, the following adjustments we're made to the original recipe:
- slightly decreased chocolate amount
- decreased almond amount
- substituted vanilla extract with coconut liqueur
- substituted granulated sugar with caster sugar
- added spices and hazel nuts
- implemented several different techniques and procedures
Additionally, if available, I've listed brand names of the food products I used in the tables below. Disclaimer: This isn't an endorsement. I'm simply indicating the names of the branded products used in my baking experiment.
Yield : 17 dark chocolate almond hazel nut biscotti
Total Prep Time : N/A
Total Bake Time : 1 hour, 10 minutes
Equipment List
Procedures
Warning: Do not attempt my "recipe" (i.e., experiment) without considering the following; variations in room temperature, humidity, altitude, food products, kitchen utensils and equipment, techniques and methods, amongst other factors, will influence the outcome of your baked goods.
Before I began, I measured, prepared, and organized my ingredients and kitchen equipment. This includes:
- blanching and drying the almonds
- grinding whole cloves with a spice mill
- lining the sheet pan with parchment paper
Step 1 : While preheating my countertop oven to 180C / 356F for approx. thirty minutes (convection mode on), I evenly laid out the blanched almonds onto the parchment lined sheet pan.
Step 2 : Next, I placed the sheet pan onto the middle rack (technically speaking, baking tray) of the preheated oven, then toasted the blanched almonds at 180C / 356F for ten continuous minutes (convection mode on).
*Ding!*
*Opens door and peers into oven.*
"Umm, okay, I wasn't expecting that"
Somewhat bewildered by the splotchy almonds, I removed the sheet pan from the countertop oven, transferred the almonds onto another sheet pan, then left the toasted almonds to cool.
Subsequent to that, the blanched hazel nuts we're baked and cooled in the same manner (repeat step 1 and 2).
Step 3 : While toasting the hazel nuts, I chopped the dark chocolate into smaller portions with a serrated bread knife, then handpicked each chunk from the chocolate shavings.
Note: The chocolate remainders we're either ingested (can't help myself) or stored in the refrigerator.
Step 4 : Shortly afterwards, I set the chocolate chunks aside and assembled the chicken eggs, caster sugar, fine mesh strainer, and mixing bowl.
Step 5 : *Whips out whisk.*
After pouring the eggs and sifting the caster sugar into the mixing bowl, I whisked and whisked and whisked and whisked until the mixture nearly reached the ribbon stage.
Truth be told, I stopped whisking because my shoulders had stiffened and ached What? After whisking for thirty minutes, virtually non-stop, you'd probably do the same, too.
Anyway, upon reaching the onset of the ribbon stage, I fetched the spice-contaminated coconut liqueur (above) and beated it into the thick, fluffy egg mixture.
Step 6 : Setting the egg mixture aside, I assembled the flour, salt, baking powder, spice mix, strainer, and mixing bowl.
Step 7 : After sifting the said dry ingredients, the awaiting egg mixture was retrieved.
Step 8 : In three batches, I poured the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl containing the egg mixture, then proceeded to whisk the ingredients until a smooth consistency was achieved.
Step 9 : While incorporating the third batch of dry ingredients into the egg mixture, I abandoned my whisk in favour of my trusty plastic spatula. The mixture was simply too thick, rendering the flimsy whisk impractical.
Step 10 : Setting the dough aside, I gathered the following materials: almonds, hazel nuts, mortar and pestle.
Step 11 : HULK SMASHHHHH!!! (Repeatedly.)
Step 12 : Coarsely ground nuts, chocolate chunks, and doughunited we stand!
Step 13 : To the best of my capability, I folded and mixed the ground nuts then the chocolate chunks into the sticky and thick dough.
Step 14 : While preheating the countertop oven to 210C / 410F for a total of thirty minutes, I coated my hands with olive oil as needed, transferred the dough onto a cutting board, then shaped the dough into a rectangular log.
Step 15 : "Aww, darnit!"
Realizing that the log was too long and unable to fit in my sheet pan, I compressed the ends of the log, giving it the final dimensions of 5 cm x 3.5 cm x 26 cm (2 in x 1.4 in x 10.2 in).
"Much better."
Step 16 : After inserting the sheet pan into the preheated oven on the middle rack (i.e., baking tray), the dough was baked for 170C / 338F for twenty-five continuous minutes (convection mode on). Moreover, during baking, the dough had visibly flattened (above).
Step 17 : Once baked for twenty-five minutes, I tested the firmness of the partially baked dough by tapping my fingers against it's surface.
"That's firm enough, right?"
With apprehension, I transferred the dough to the wire rack to cool and discovered that the bottom of the log (above) was soft and slightly sticky. Nonetheless, the countertop oven was preheated to 190C / 374F for thirty minutes.
Warning! The following photo is graphic and may be unsuitable for experienced bakers. Viewer discretion advised.
Step 18 : Cooled for approx. fifteen minutes, I butchered the log into elongated slices by cutting diagonally albeit clumsily.
What a massacre!
I purposely deviated from the original instructions, advising that the log was to be cooled for ten minutes. I now understand why. If the log is cooled in excess, the surface of the log will harden and resist the pressure of the knife. Accordingly, the crust of my log crackled and several of my sliced portions we're disfigured.
Further, the chocolate chunks and coarsely chopped nuts didn't help matters.
Step 19 : One by one, I laid twelve biscotti onto the parchment lined sheet pan, where the remaining five we're promptly stuffed into my mouth. My excuse: I hadn't eaten lunch and my stomach wasn't growling but roaring. Plus, I was too lazy to bake a second batch of biscotti.
Step 20 : Shortly after the oven was preheated for thirty minutes, I placed the sheet pan of biscotti onto the middle tray of the oven. Following that, I reduced the oven's temperature to 150C / 302F and baked the biscotti for a total of twenty minutes (convection mode on)
"Why isn't it browning!?"
Disregarding the possibility of negative consequences, I increased the oven's temperature to 160C / 320F and baked the biscotti for an additional ten minutes.
Thereafter, the biscotti we're flipped and baked at 150C / 302F for approx. twenty minuteshold on, my mistake! I failed to reduce the oven's temperature and continued to bake the overturned biscotti at 160C / 320F. Upon discovery of my error, the biscuits we're hastily removed from the oven after fifteen minutes of baking.
As a result of my negligence, one side of the biscotti were slightly darker than the other.
Posted in Home Improvement Post Date 01/31/2019