Coffee Macadamia Nut Biscotti

In Ka’u, the historic district of the Big Island of Hawaii, coffee and  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are the two big things.  The area is home to about 50 coffee plantations that ship beans around the world.  Four years ago, the community created an annual weeklong K’au Coffee Festival, that included a recipe contest.  It has since become one of its most popular events.  Last year’s winner created this recipe that was the grand-prize winner.  Oddly enough, this talented baker doesn’t drink coffee, but nevertheless she was able to come up with this winning recipe.

These coffee-spiked biscotti include other Ka’u ingredients like local honey, macadamia nuts and toasted coconut.  Even if you’ve never been to Hawaii, you can get a taste of the local flavor by making these award-winning biscotti.  They are really good with a cup of hot coffee or iced coffee.

COFFEE-MACADAMIA NUT BISCOTTI

Yield:  Makes 30 – 35 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2  3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground coffee
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 12-oz. bag white chocolate chips
• 1  1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

1.  Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Whisk the flour, coffee, cocoa powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Combine the sugar, butter, honey, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed.   Reduce the mixer speed to low, beat in the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in the macadamia nuts with a wooden spoon.

3.  Form the dough into two  8 – 10 inch logs on the prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.  Bake until browned about 25 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated knife.

4.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325*F.  Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking sheet; return to the oven and bake 20 more minutes, flipping the cookies over halfway through.  Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

5.  Melt the white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water  (do not let the bowl touch the water), stirring until smooth.  Dip the biscotti partway into the melted chocolate, then roll in the toasted coconut.

This is how I stand them up to dry.

Place on a baking sheet lined with fresh parchment; refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

I spread chocolate on only one side of some of them, and sprinkled with coconut.

SOURCE:   Food Network Magazine