Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've had a bag of cinnamon chips in the pantry since the Christmas holiday. I try to turn my pantry and freezer at this time of year and I've been staring at the chips for weeks now, but I was not sufficiently inspired to free the space they were occupying. As a matter of fact, I couldn't remember why I had bought them in the first place. At any rate, I needed to make cookies for a meeting tomorrow afternoon and I thought that I could use them in the baking I had to do. The only problem was I don't have a lot of recipes for cinnamon chips. Normally, I'd do an internet search and eventually find something to my liking, but I didn't want to spend the time that would take. I'm really bad when it comes to computer searches. What should take 5 minutes turns into an hour or two, because I tend to lose myself in the sites I find. Worse still, I've been known to come back with a recipe that's not at all related to the object of the original search. So, when I am pressed for time, I tend to go right to the source. Hershey made the chips stored in my pantry, so I went to their recipe site, found here, for ideas and a recipe that I could use to make the cookies I had promised to bake. It took all of five minutes to find exactly what I wanted. I'm not much into sweets, but I have a real weakness for biscotti and scones, and sure enough, those folks at Hershey had offerings that would feed my habit. Because of the size of the gathering tomorrow, I decided to bake the Cinnamon Chip Biscotti. It was a great choice. The recipe is simple and within a reasonable amount of time I had 5 dozen really tasty cookies that will be enjoyed tomorrow. The next time I make these, I won't bother glazing them. The glaze is lovely but I think it borders on overkill and makes the biscotti more complicated than they have to be. If you are looking for new dessert recipes, I urge you to visit the Hershey site. They don't know me from a hole in the head, so the recommendation comes to you with no strings attached.  I do hope you'll give tonight's recipe a try. Here is how the biscotti are made.

Cinnamon Chip Biscotti...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of  Hershey Test  Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2/3 cups (10 oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Cinnamon Chips (divided)
1 cup very finely chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)
White Chip Drizzle (recipe follows)

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2) Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until smooth. (Dough will be stiff.) Using spoon or with hands, work 1 cup cinnamon chips and walnuts into dough.
3) Divide dough into four equal parts. Shape each part into a log about 8 inches long. Place on prepared cookie sheet, at least 2 inches apart and flatten logs slightly.
4) Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until logs are set and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; let cool on cookie sheet 30 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Using serrated knife and sawing motion, cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch wide slices. Place slices close together, cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Return to oven and bake 5 to 6 minutes. Turn each slice, then bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Melt remaining cinnamon chips with shortening. Drizzle melted chips over each cookie. Then drizzle with melted white chocolate as well. Yield: 5 dozen cookies.


WHITE CHIP DRIZZLE: Place 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 to 45 seconds or until smooth when stirred.








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