St. Nicholas Biscotti

Ingredients

16 ounces whole almonds, with skin
4 ounces hazelnuts
5 ounces milk chocolate chips
5 ounces dark chocolate chips
5 eggs
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch of cardamom
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
5 3/4 cups flour
For the top: 1 tbsp powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Chop the almonds and nuts, coarsely  into large pieces (you may want to use a food processor as chopping whole almonds is challenging); zest the peel of the orange and lemon.
2. Beat eggs, powdered sugar, and salt until creamy.
3. Stir in cream of tartar, spices, orange peel and lemon peel.
4. Fold in nuts and chocolate.
5. Knead in flour, 1 cup at at a time using a mixer's dough hook; pressing the dough together well as it is crumbly.
6. Turn the dough out on a floured piece of waxed paper; knead and work it to mix the dough evenly.
7. Form the dough into two rounds, each about 9 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You can press any protruding chocolate chips into the dough with a moistened finger to prevent them from burning and becoming bitter during baking.
8. Bake the St. Nicholas Biscotti in a preheated oven at 390° F for 45-50 minutes; let cool slightly.
9. Dust the tops with powdered sugar; cut into strips.

Adapted from Celebrating St. Nicholas together, Vivat Magazin, St. Benno Publishing, Germany. Permission pending.

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