Chocolate Almond Biscotti

These are relatively easy to make, and a great cookie for grown-ups (not too sweet), perfect for dunking. The recipe is adapted from the Hershey's Homemade cookbook. Sometimes I also add dried cherries or dried cranberries, or even some cinnamon.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup toasted almonds, in chunks or slivers

Chocolate Glaze: melt together
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter or margarine

Heat oven to 350. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs and almond extract: beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend into butter mixture, beating until smooth. (Dough will be thick.) Using a wooden spoon, work almonds into dough. Divide dough into halves. With lightly floured hands, shape each half into a rectangular log, about 2 inches in diameter and about 11 inches long. Place logs on ungreased cookie sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Cut logs at a diagonal into 1/2 inch slices. Discard end pieces. Place slices, cut side down, close together on cookie sheet and bake 8-9 minutes, then turn them over and bake 8-9 minutes more. Remove from oven, and cool on cookie sheet on wire rack. Prepare chocolate glaze. When biscotti are cool, drizzle (or spread one side) with chocolate glaze.