Biscotti with Pistachio, Dark Chocolate, and Red Chili

These biscotti with raw pistachio, chopped bittersweet chocolate, and freshly ground red chili are bursting with flavour, heat, and complexity right from the first bite; perfect for dipping in a steaming mug of hot cocoa, tea, or coffee.

Disclaimer

This post has been sponsored by Rancho Vignola. Giveaway now CLOSED.

I have been making homemade biscotti for many years: always at Christmas time, and always to give away as gifts… leaving me with the smaller end bits of biscotti to eat, and (I’m not ashamed to admit) the chunky crumbs from the bottom of the cookie tin.

I decided this year to make some biscotti just for myself, and while I was at it, to make a entirely new flavour. All for me.

Playing around with flavour combinations, I reminded myself that in biscotti, as in life, there can never been too much chocolate. So chocolate was a must. And as soon as I decided on dark chocolate, the rest of the recipe idea fell into place. Raw pistachios and sweetly spicy red chili seemed just exactly what I was craving with some dark chocolate to dip into a cup of steaming tea or coffee.

I only needed to test the recipe once. My classic biscotti formula adjusted to include pistachio, chopped bittersweet chocolate, and freshly ground red chili was bursting with flavour, heat, and complexity right from the first bite. And of course, using super fresh Rancho Vignola products (their pistachios and their dark baking chocolate domes) only made everything better.

BUT it never hurts to test something a second time, right? Especially when it allowed me another three dozen delicious biscotti to eat? All for me!!

Next year, I’m putting myself on my Christmas biscotti list.

Yield
3
Dozen

Biscotti with Pistachio, Dark Chocolate, and Red Chili

These biscotti with raw pistachio, chopped bittersweet chocolate, and freshly ground red chili are bursting with flavour, heat, and complexity right from the first bite; perfect for dipping in a steaming mug of hot cocoa, tea, or coffee.

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground chili (Cascabel or New Mexico; if using a spicier chili, like cayenne, use half the amount)
¼ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1¼ cup raw shelled pistachios
1 cup chopped dark chocolate (semi sweet or bittersweet)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a large sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour with the baking powder, soda, salt and ground chili. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and egg whites until foamy. Add the sugar and beat until thick and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract, melted butter, pistachio, and dark chocolate.
  3. On low speed, stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing well to combine. Divide the dough in two and place them about 4 inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Shape each into a smooth, flat-topped log about 1½ inches wide and about 15 inches long.
  4. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until they feel firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Turn down the oven to 275°F. Place logs on a cutting board and slice on the diagonal into ½ inch slices. Arrange the slices upright on the baking sheets, leaving a bit of room around each for air circulation, and bake them again for 20-30 minutes.
  5. Let the biscotti cool on wire racks. Store in air tight containers. Their flavour will improve in a few days. They will last about a month if nobody eats them first!

Reader Comments (38)

  1. Your biscotti looks amazing; I will definitely need to try this. I would love to attend your new cooking class!

  2. Yum! I made Yotam Ottolenghi’s ginger and pistachio biscotti for Christmas and they were very good, but these are very festive. Mine turned out quite tender and I really love the crisp ones you need to dunk in your coffee. I wonder what these chocolate, chili ones are like!

  3. Hi Heidi,

    is the Flavours of the Exotic class only for prize winners? It doesn’t appear to be on your class schedule. If so, I hope you will offer it again. Sounds wonderful.

  4. Yum! I can’t wait to try the biscotti with a warm cup of coffee. A perfect treat in this cold weather. Thanks for sharing another fantastic recipe, Heidi! Fingers crossed I see you again at the Flavours of the Exotic class.

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