Chocolate and Cinnamon Biscotti - Sourdough Surprises

This month, Sourdough Surprises challenged us to make biscotti. I made sourdough biscotti before but never bothered to write down a recipe. I have no idea what I did there so I was happy to make a go at it again and write down my recipe this time. I actually wanted to make mandelbrot which is a similar double baked cookie. I made some over on Passion Kneaded and have been dying for a reason to make them again. Alas, I couldn't decide on the flavour filling I wanted so I had to stick with the Italian-style biscotti. That particular style of mandelbrot is actually more amenable to adding sourdough starter since it's a wetter dough. I'll figure out a filling soon enough.

I made these on Saturday afternoon and there are none left. Don't look at me like that! I deliberately made a small batch and then just had a very difficult time not eating them. I was eating them before I even snapped a picture. I LOVE baking biscotti. Cookie-baking is not my forte so the idea of a cookie that wants you to "over-bake" it a bit is perfect for me. I hope that you'll try these or one of the other amazing biscottis that my fellow bloggers have made. See below for links!

On another note, a reader contacted me about starter hydration. Let me just say that it was a shock. People read this? I neglect this space so much and only post once a month when it's Sourdough Surprises time. I really need to merge this with Passion Kneaded but my weird brain keeps finding reasons not to. Anyway, back to said reader. He or she used my wholly inadequate contact form and alas, I have no way to reply to him/ her. So dear reader, if you're reading this right now, please contact me again! Leave a comment below so that I can reply to you OR email me at passionkneaded at gmail.com. I can then send you lots of information and helpful links on starter hydration. Welcome to baking with sourdough! It's a frustrating and rewarding process.

Chocolate and Cinnamon Sourdough Biscotti

Yield: ~ 10 cookies

Ingredients

42 grams butter
64 grams sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

50 grams 100% sourdough starter
135 grams flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Directions
.
Cream butter and sugar then add egg, vanilla and sourdough starter.
Whisk together flour and baking powder then slowly add the mix to the butter mixture.
Divide the dough into two equal haves. To one half, add cinnamon and to the other stir in cocoa powder.
Chill both halves for 30 - 60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
On a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet, pat out one half of the dough into a 7 inch x 2 1/2 inch rectangle. It's best to use wet hands or a dough scraper for this. Pat the second half on top.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes. Meanwhile, lower oven to 300 F. Slice the slightly cooled cookies into 3/4 inch slices. Return to cookie sheet (cut side down) and bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly golden.

An InLinkz Link-up