There are all kinds of cookies out there, from soft and chewy to light and crisp. Each one can be a treasure. One of the more popular cookies these days, especially at coffee shops, is biscotti. It is a cookie that goes beyond crisp to outright crunch. They are intended to be dunked in coffee mostly, but hot chocolate would be as wonderful to my way of thinking. The traditional Italian way is to serve with a glass of Vin Santo, an Italian dessert wine.

As biscotti have become more popular they have also become more expensive - so expensive that making your own at home is something to consider. This recipe should get you started.

In Italian, the word "biscotto" means "biscuit" or "cookie." More specifically, biscotti are named according to their method of baking. The root words "bis" and "cotto" literally mean "twice" and "baked", which these cookies are. Biscotto is the singular form of the word, the plural being biscotti.

Anise seeds are the traditional flavoring. Whole, crushed or ground anise, or anisette liqueur can be used. Biscotti have, however, taken well to variations of all kinds. Some of the additions I have seen in recipes for biscotti include minced orange or lemon zest, dried cherries or cranberries, raisins, poppy or sesame seeds, minced crystallized ginger, nuts of all kinds (almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios) as well as other liqueurs. You may want to be adventurous and create your own masterpiece.

This particular recipe uses cocoa powder for a chocolate flavor and is studded with toasted almonds. The original recipe had you stirring the chocolate chips with the almonds. It can get pretty messy when slicing and during the second baking with all those soft melted chocolate chips in there, so I thought it would be better to drizzle it on after the cookies are finished. This recipe also uses no butter, so it might be considered a little less sinful. This is a very dense dough, so using a machine helps a lot.

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix together eggs and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to flour mixture, blending well. Add the almonds and blend until combined. Spoon half of dough onto a sheet of parchment cut to fit the cookie sheet. To keep the dough from being too sticky, wet your hands and form the dough into a log. Repeat with the second half of dough on a second cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until firm when touched, about 30-35 minutes.

Allow logs to cool enough to handle, then cut into slices diagonally. Place slices back on the cookie sheet and bake in a 325 degree oven until dry and crunchy all the way through, about 15-20 minutes. Cool completely. Melt the chocolate chips with the shortening in a plastic sandwich bag by setting the bag in a cup full of very hot water. Let stand until chips are melted and knead to blend in the shortening. Snip a corner off the bag and drizzle evenly over the cookies. Cool again and store in an airtight container.