I’ve been making biscotti for years – and always use my go-to recipe as the base. What I like about it most, is that these biscotti are “crisp” rather than “hard” – exactly the way I like them! I find that you can easily turn this recipe into just about any flavor you want.
For those of you have have followed my blog since the beginning in 2/2018, you will know that not only is my goal delicious food, but beautiful food as well!
So for this post, I created these Neopolitan Chocolate Chip Biscotti. They blend the traditional flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, into one magnificent cookie. I added mini chocolate chips to bring these right over the top!
For the strawberry flavor, I used freeze dried strawberries. These can be found in most grocery stores now, near the dried fruit section. Trader Joe’s carries them also. I crushed these into smaller pieces. I like the flavor this gave them, but for more strawberry flavor, you can also add some strawberry extract.
This is a perfect project to do with your kids/grand kids. The dough is made into 3 flavors, that are then BRAIDED to form the loaves. How creative and fun is that?
I love to freeze them, and bring them out whenever I get a craving!
NEOPOLITAN CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCOTTI RECIPE (makes about 3 dozen)
I made the dough in 3 batches – 1 vanilla, 1 strawberry, and 1 chocolate
Ingredients for vanilla dough:
* 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
* 1/2 c granulated sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 1/2 Tbsp sour cream
* 1 1/2 c all purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/8 tsp baking soda
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 3 Tbsp mini chocolate chips
* Coarse sugar for topping
Ingredients for strawberry dough:
* 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
* 1/2 c granulated sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 1/2 Tbsp sour cream
* 1 1/2 c all purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/8 tsp baking soda
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp strawberry extract (optional)
* 1 0.7 oz pkg (about 5-6 Tbsp) crushed freeze dried strawberries
* Red paste food coloring (to desired color)
* 3 Tbsp mini chocolate chips
* Coarse sugar for topping
Ingredients for chocolate dough:
* 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
* 1/2 c granulated sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 1/2 Tbsp sour cream
* 1 1/4 c all purpose flour
* 1/4 c cocoa powder
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/8 tsp baking soda
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 3 Tbsp mini chocolate chips
* Coarse sugar for topping
Make each dough flavor separately, by creaming the butter and sugar til fluffy. Add egg and sour cream, and mix well. Add extracts (and food coloring for strawberry dough) and combine.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl (flour, baking powder, soda, and salt). Add dried strawberries, or cocoa powder at this point as well – into appropriate dough flavor. Whisk to combine. Add slowly to wet mixture, with mixer on low.
Add chocolate chips and mix briefly to combine. Wrap each dough in plastic wrap until all 3 flavors are made. No need to refrigerate.
Once you have all 3 dough flavors made, separate each into 3 equal pieces.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 3 sheet pans lined with parchment paper.
Roll 1 piece of each flavor of dough into a log about 13″ long, using a lightly floured cutting board. Place 1 vanilla, 1 strawberry, and 1 chocolate log side by side on the cutting board. “Braid” the 3 dough flavors together.
Place the braid on the prepared pan, and press the dough together into a loaf, measuring about 3 inches wide, 12″ long, and 3/4″ thick.
Make an egg white wash with the egg white from 1 egg, and about 1 tsp water. Brush over the loaves, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 min. Loaves will puff up and spread out, and will be lightly browned on the edges. Cool for about 20 min.
Slice into 3/4″ to 1″ pieces. Lay each piece on its side, on a parchment covered sheet pan. Lower oven temp to 250 degrees. Bake for 20, remove from oven and turn each piece over, then bake for another 20 min.
Store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator for a week, or freeze for up to 3 mo.
