Biscotti!

I had every intention of snapping a new photo of the lovely finished biscotti, other than the self-promoting Diva pic, but the husband made short work of the cookies. There's nothing left but a few stale crumbs in the bottom of the cookie jar. Someone should really do something about that.

You've all been waiting patiently for the recipe, so without further ado I will present it today. This one's adapted from Julee Rosso's Fresh Start cookbook. I changed the flour, reduced the sugar, added some chocolate chips and decided to use macadamia nuts instead of hazelnuts. The choice is yours really, any and all combination of dried fruits and nuts will work here.

Cherry Chocolate Macadamia Nut Biscotti:

• 1 cup unsweetened dried cherries
• 3 tbsp. orange juice
• 4 tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar*
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine the dried cherries and orange juice in a large, micro-wave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. The cherries will soften as they cool and most of the juice will be absorbed.

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees F and lightly spray a large, rimmed cookie sheet with vegetable oil spray.

In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal blade, combine the butter and sugar and process until well blended. Add the egg whites and process until the mixture is smooth. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, pulsing until just combined. Transfer to a large bowl, drain the remaining liquid from the cherries and add the cherries, nuts and chocolate chips, stir until incorporated. Using your hands, form the mixture into a large ball, pressing together the ingredients as necessary. Divide the dough into thirds and form three long, flat logs - roughly 12 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the logs on the cookie sheet, spaced apart, and bake in the middle of a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes, until lightly browned. (As pictured above.)

Remove from the oven and transfer the logs to a cutting board. Allow them to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, cut the logs diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. I'm not going to lie, this is a pain in the ass, there will be crumbs everywhere and you'll feel like the biscotti are crumbling. DO NOT PANIC, do not curse me out. Remain calm and proceed carefully, taking your time and pinching the biscotti back together as necessary. Try not to burn yourself.

Return the sliced cookies to the cookie sheet and bake them, standing upright, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cut surfaces appear to be dry. Cool on wire racks and serve immediately or store in an air-tight container.

*The original recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar. Even though I've reduced the amount, the finished cookies are very sweet. A bit too sweet for me, but I think my palate is hyper sensitive when it comes to sugar. Feel free to play around with it and increase the sugar to a cup if you like. I've used the whole wheat pastry flour here, though the original calls for all-purpose white flour. Again, the choice is yours.

If you're looking for a more traditional, whole egg biscotti go here. This recipe is from 5second rule's cookie contest and I must say it looks spectacular. I've been meaning to try Diana's recipe since December!

You can't go wrong with either recipe and spelling something out with the finished biscotti is entirely optional.

So, what combination of fruits and nuts would you include in your biscotti? Curious Diva wants to know.

Bon appetit!