A Snow Day (Featuring Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti)

Greetings!
Last night we got pummeled by the blizzard that stretched across the country.  We figured we wouldn't have to go to work today and sure enough- we got the official word this morning.  I called the weather hotline for my work at 8:50 AM and by 9 I was in the kitchen making pancakes and then finishing a project from last night: Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti.

 

Our cars lined up and prepared for the storm.

Cars post storm.  They don't look bad because all of the wind caused so much drifting!

Anyway, in anticipation of the snow day, I started making the Chocolate Ginger Biscotti last night since it has to bake, cool, bake, cool, and be glazed.  Here's the recipe and a picture of the final product:

Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti
Adapted from The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook
Yields about 50 small cookies

Ingredients:
2/3 C Superfine Sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 all-purpose whole wheat flour (I used stone ground)
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder (or carob)
2 Tbsp glace ginger, finely chopped (I used Reed's Ginger Candy Chews from Woodman's because it is much MUCH cheaper than glace ginger in the spice aisle.)
1/3 C pecans, roughly chopped
1/3 C almonds, roughly chopped

Icing:
1 C Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Special equipment:
Parchment paper
Disposable piping bag

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Using electric beaters, beat the sugar and eggs together for 3 minutes, or until thick, pale and increased in volume (or until your hand mixer dies again like mine did).  Sift in the flour and carob powder and stir with a wooden spoon until almost combined.  Add the ginger and nuts, and use a clean hand to mix until well combined.  The batter was very sticky.
3. Divide the mixture in half and shape into two 6 inch long logs.  Place on the prepared tray and flatten to 3/4 inch thickness.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until firm.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
4. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.  Cut the logs into slices about 1/3 inch thick.  Spread out in a single layer on a tray or two and bake for 10 minutes.  Flip each cookie and then bake another 10 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
5. Melt half the chocolate chips in a double boiler (or over very low heat stirring constantly). Remove from heat and add other half of chips.  Stir until melted.
6. Spoon melted chocolate into a piping bag.  Snip off the end.  Drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti.  I put parchment paper underneath for an easy clean up.

Chocolate Ginger Pecan Biscotti.  My pictures clearly need a lot of work.  I would have perfected this but moments later I dropped all of the remaining pecans on the floor.

 That's all for now!
Next time: Vegan Jam Thumbprint cookies!