Biscotti Wars: Sandra vs. Starbucks

For the past three or four years now when Christmas time rolls around and Starbucks is offering their holiday biscotti of Gingerbread, Macadamia Nut & White Chocolate, I’ve been thinking about creating my own version.  The problem I have with any store’s baked goods is their ingredients – all fairly substandard in my book with hydrogenated oils and fake and/or refined sugars at the top of my black list.  So now that I’m living in Gibsons and feel like I’m on vacation 24/7, I finally got around to creating my own version of this recipe and baking up a batch – better late than never! 

Gingerbread, Macadamia & White Chocolate Biscotti

Yield: About 24 biscotti

(Note: all ingredients used were organic except for the Callebaut chocolate)

10 oz. whole spelt flour (2-1/4 cups if you don't own a scale)

1-1/4 cups Sucanat*

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon baking soda

4 oz. macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped (1 cup if you don't own a scale)

4 oz. Australian crystallized ginger, finely chopped (1/2 cup if you don't own a scale)

¼ cup Barbados molasses

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (I like to use the Microplane grater for this)

10 oz. Bernard Callebaut white chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the first 8 ingredients (flour through baking soda) on medium-low speed until well-blended.  On low speed mix in the nuts and crystallized ginger.

In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the white chocolate.  With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the egg mixture.  Continue mixing until the dough is well-blended and comes together in large, moist clumps (approx. 1 minute).

Spill the dough onto a work surface and divide into two equal portions.  Shape each portion into a log approximately 11 inches long.  Position the logs on the cookie sheet approximately 5 inches apart (they will spread during baking).  Bake until the tops are cracked and spring back slightly when gently pressed (about 30 minutes).  Transfer the cookie sheet to a cooling rack for about 10-12 minutes or until the logs are cool enough to handle.  Peel the logs from the parchment lined cookie sheet and place the logs onto a cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, saw each log into diagonal slices about ¾ inches wide.  Return the slices to the cookie sheet and continue baking for 10 minutes if you prefer a moist and chewy biscotti or up to 20 minutes if you like a dry and crunchy biscotti.  Transfer the cookie sheet to a backing rack and let the biscotti cool completely. 

Melt the chocolate in a glass or stainless steel bowl placed over a pan of simmering water.  Continually stir using a spatula until the chocolate has completely melted.  Coat the cooled biscotti with the melted chocolate in any manner you wish: drizzled over, half-dipped, coated on one-side only, etc.  Place the dipped biscotti on a wax- or tinfoil lined cookie sheet and place in a cool area to let the chocolate harden.  When cool store in an airtight container or freeze.

*Sucanat is a free-flowing brown sugar that still retains some of its mineral content and much less refined than white or brown sugar.