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I love CHOCOLATE!

It's November 2nd, there are only 3 pumpkin scones left in the house. It means it's time to bake more goodies so Hub has something to eat for breakfast or snack with his big mug of tea. There are so many biscotti recipes out there, that I made a hybrid of the one from David Leibovitz, former pastry chef from Chez Panisse and another one I found on the net. 


Chocolate Biscotti

1/2 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp Godiva chocolate liqueur
2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa * use the best you can find, I happen to LOVE Pernigotti cocoa!*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup chocolate chips * white, semi, bittersweet,...whatever you love*
1 cup nuts * almonds, walnuts, pecans,...whatever you love*

In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa, soda, powder and salt, set aside.
Cream butter with sugars, mixed in eggs and add extracts. Add 1/2 flour mixture to wet ingredients, till mixed in. Add remainder with chips and nuts, mix till well blended. Gather into a ball, split into 2. Roll into
2- 9"x2.5" logs. Place on parchment lined sheet pan. Leave 4" between each log. Bake at 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool at least 1 hour.

Take cooled cookie log and gently saw ( use a bread knife for this, please) on the diagonal, 1/2" slices of biscotti. Place these on another parchment lined sheet pan, and bake at 325°F for 8-9 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Let these completely cool before putting in a storage container.
OR...dip them into dark chocolate for even more decadence! ENJOY!

Fall is for pumpkins...

Considering that we had snow this past Saturday, it was only fitting to bake something warm and wonderful that would be great with a BIG mug of tea or coffee. This is one of the easiest scone recipes I have, and so easy to mix it up. These yummy goodies are pumpkin scones with Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and Demerara sugar, ( and there's a stick of butter + some 2% Cabot vanilla yogurt). 

These are one of Eric's favorites with a piping hot mug of Brioche black tea to get him started in the mornings, especially the chilly ones we've been having lately.

Hmm, they're almost gone...I'm thinking about making some chocolate biscotti next time. Stay tuned. 

Pumpkin Scones

2 cups AP flour ( I love King Arthur flour!)

3 Ts sugar ( you can use white or brown, I used brown for these)

1 stick unsalted butter cold

1 T baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t kosher salt

1 cup chocolate chips ( you can use what you like, semi sweet, bittersweet...I prefer Ghiradelli or Guittard)

1 cup nuts, rough chopped ( again, use what you prefer, personally I LOVE pecans!)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin ( just the pumpkin sans spices, NOT the pie filling stuff)

1/2 cup 2% Cabot greek vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 375°F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

If you have a food processor, add the flour, sugar, powder, soda and salt to your workbowl. Cut up the stick of butter into 1/2 slices and scatter those in the workbowl. Pulse all these ingredients till the mixture resembles coarse sand. ( you can do this in a large mixing bowl with a pastry cutter or 2 knives if you don't have the hardware.) Dump this into a large mixing bowl. Add chips and nuts, mix lightly with a fork. 

Add pumpkin and yogurt. Mix with fork till all the ingredients come together. Gently form into a ball, and pour out onto the counter, lightly floured. Gently knead 1-2 turns...DO NOT OVERKNEAD! (they'll be tough, and they need to be flaky, tender crumbly goodness!) Form into a circle about 8" diameter and 1½" tall. Cut into 8 wedges. (* note: you can brush milk or egg wash on top of these and sprinkle with Demerara sugar for added texture and crunch )

Place onto lined sheet 2" apart, bake at 375°F for 18-20 minutes or till golden brown. 

Remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack...eat them warm in about 15 mins...

when the chocolate is warm and gooey.

Save in an airtight container for about 3-4 days, IF they last that long. 

Extra tasty when rewarmed in a microwave for about 10 seconds to go along with that mug of tea or coffee. ENJOY!