Coffee-Chocolate Almost-Biscotti Bites

I call these little squares "biscotti" but they are technically not "twice baked."  They are not dry and are actually softer and chewier than traditional biscotti pieces.  But they're not cookie or brownie-textured either.  They are somewhere in the middle which was a refreshing change! 


I really liked these and brought them to a meeting I attended last week.  Those who tasted them seemed to enjoy them.  They definitely have a coffee flavor and leave a coffee taste in your mouth but it's not too overpowering.  Give these a try if they sound like something you'd like.  Or you can just leave out the coffee/espresso and see how they turn out! 




Coffee-Chocolate Almost-Biscotti Bites
(Makes 16 to 32 pieces, depending on how you cut them)

1 stick light butter, cut into pieces
2 cups of unbleached, unenriched flour (I used half white and half wheat)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. instant coffee or espresso
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of sugar or sweetener (I used Stevia)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 large egg
1 cup of milk chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Lightly grease an 13x9 inch (or a 10x15 inch) baking pan. 

Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat.  Stir it occasionally until the color turns darker, about five minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the instant coffee/espresso.  Let the brown butter cool for about two minutes. 

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda and salt.  In a separate smaller bowl, combine the brown butter with wet ingredients - egg, sugars, vanilla extract and almond extract.  Mix well.  Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Be sure they are combined together.  Now gently stir in the chocolate chips.  Scoop out into a lightly greased baking pan.  Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are brown.  Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting into rectangles or squares.  I first cut them into 16 rectangles and then went back and cut them in half, making 32 squares.




Enjoy!  These would be great dipped into coffee or tea!