Hannah and her friend, Elizabeth, made these today and they are absolutely amazing! - Sarah
½ cup – margarine
1 ¼ cups – sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon – almond extract
2 ¼ cups – flour
¼ cup –baking cocoa
1 teaspoon – baking powder
¼ teaspoon – salt
1 cup – sliced almonds
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs and almond extract and beat well. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture beating until smooth. Dough will be thick. Stir in almonds using wooden spoon.
2. Shape dough into two 11-inch-long rolls. Place rolls 3 to 4 inches apart on large ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until rolls are set. Remove from oven. Cool on cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Using serrated knife, cut rolls diagonally using sawing motion into ½ inch-thick slices. Arrange slices, cut-sides down close together on a cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Turn slices over. Bake additional 8 to 9 minutes.
Remove from oven. Cool on wire rack. Prepare chocolate glaze. Dip end of each biscotti in glaze or drizzle over entire cookie. Garnish with additional almonds, if desired.
Chocolate Glaze
Place 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon shortening (do not use butter, margarine or oil) into small microwave safe bowl. Microwave at high for 1 – 1.5 minutes or until smooth with stirred. Make about 1 cup glaze.
Makes about 2 ½ dozen cookies.