Hazelnut Cocoa Biscotti

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper
2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.
3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy. Then, beat in the eggs, along with the vanilla, almond extract, and liqueur, if using. With the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually work in the dry ingredients, then the nuts and chocolate chips. Blend well. Scrape down the bowl and beaters. Gather the dough into a ball; if it feels very sticky, work in a little more flour, 1 tbsp at a time.
4. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough evenly in half. Shape each half into a log about 13 inches long, I inch high, and 1 ½ inches wide. Place the logs about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten the top of each one until slightly domed; the finished log should measure 13 ½ to 14 inches long, ¾ inch high, about 1 ¾ inches wide.
5. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until logs are dry on top and firm to the touch; a wooden toothpick should come out nearly clean, with just a trace of batter showing. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. With a long spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
6. With a serrated knife, cut the still-warm logs on the diagonal into ½-inch-thick slices. Place the slices cut side down on the same baking sheet (don’t regrease). If necessary, use a second pan.
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the slices are dry and crisp. The longer they bake, the harder and crisper they will be; they crisp more as they cool. Let cool on a wire rack.