Coffee and Caramel Biscotti

As South Africans we are rather partial to a twice baked biscuit, otherwise known as a rusk. But, we are not alone in our passion for dry, hard, crunchy double cooked crackers.  

The Italians have a similar, but more sophisticated version: the biscotti. The word biscotti comes from the Latin biscoctus which actually means twice baked or cooked! The Italians tend to enjoy their crunchy biscuit with a mulled wine whereas we have a preference towards a steaming cup of coffee. 

Other than the accompanying drink and perhaps the shape, rusks look more log-like while biscotti are thinner and more oval, they are really very similar. Both equally delicious and can be enjoyed any way you like! 

Ingredients: 

• 125 g  butter 
• 1 cup white sugar 
• 2 eggs 

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder 
• 5 ml vanilla essence 
• 2 cups flaked almonds 
• 1 cup  caramel chocolate chips 
• 2 cups cake flour 

• 10 ml baking powder 

Method:  

• Preheat the oven to 180ᵒC. 

• In a stand mixer, combine the butter and the sugar. 

• Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar at high speed until pale yellow in colour. 

• Add the eggs and mix again at high speed for another 1 minute. 

• Add the vanilla essence and coffee powder and mix until well combined. 

• Add the flaked almonds and mix. 

• Add the caramel chocolate and mix. 

• Sift the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl. 

• Add the sifted flour and baking powder to the butter mixture. 

• Gently mix on low speed until the mixture forms a soft, sticky dough. 

• Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface dusted with flour. 

• Gently knead the dough, dusting with extra flour, until it forms a smooth ball. 

• Divide the ball in half an roll each half into a sausage. 

• Lay the sausages out on a greased baking tray and flatten the tops. 

• Bake for 30 minutes or until the top of the biscotti feels springy to the touch. 

• Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the biscotti to cool. 

• Once cold, carefully cut the biscotti into fingers and layout on a baking tray. 

• Dry the biscotti in the oven at 120ᵒC for about 2 hours or until dry to the touch. 

• Once the biscotti has dried and cooled, store in an airtight container.