Biscotti di Cioccolato a Nocciole

I was thumbing through some cookbooks trying to figure out a good cookie recipe to bake to bring to a friend's house over the weekend. I'd really love to try every recipe from Gina De Palma's Dolce Italiano and so I settled on another of her tremendous recipe for Biscotti di Cioccolato a Nocciole, or Bittersweet Chocolate and Hazelnut Cookies. The recipe is actually available on Epicurious, here is the link. I would recommend her buying her book though, every recipe I have tried has been utterly amazing.

These cookies remind me of those minty midnight crackles that show up on cookie trays around the Christmas Holidays. These are similar only in their crackle appearance, which they get from a generous dredge in icing sugar.

What can be said about these cookies? They are really amazing - rich and chocolatey but not too sweet, there's a little crunch from the bits of hazelnut and a delightful melty chocolate pocket from the chocolate chunks.

Biscotti di Cioccolato a Nocciole are a show stopper. If you happen to be as lucky as me and grew up in an Italian household, these cookies are so reminiscent of something you'd find on a cookie tray during any holidays or special occasions. And, even if you didn't grow up Italian, eating tremendous cookies, I'm sure you'd still be glad to have these appear on a cookie tray at your holiday party or as a special treat to say thanks for having us over.