Bacon Choc Chip Biscotti

 
Yep, we're having a bit of a biscotti brouhaha... this time it's the intriguing:

Bacon Chocolate Chip Biscotti

5 strips bacon
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2+ cups chocolate for dipping

Cook bacon in microwave according to your preferred method (you can also fry it, but that's messier, so why bother?).  Chop or crumble crispy bacon into small pieces.  Set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.  In large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, two or three minutes.  Add eggs one at a time and beat to combine.  Add flour mixture and beat until blended.  Stir in bacon and chocolate chips.  Gather dough in ball and divide in half.  Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes (dough will still be sticky).

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.   Preheat oven to 350ºF.  On floured surface, roll each piece of dough out into a 12 to 14-inch log.  Transfer logs to baking sheet spacing them 3-4 inches apart. Bake until light golden and dry to the touch, about 30 minutes.

Remove baking sheet from oven.  Reduce oven temperature to 300ºF.  Allow logs to cool for 15 minutes.  Transfer logs to cutting board.  Using serrated knife, slice logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Return slices to baking sheet, standing upright, and bake until dry and golden, 20 to 30 minutes.  Slide biscotti on parchment to a wire rack to cool completely.

Melt dipping chocolate in a wide, shallow bowl, heating in microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring between, until melted.  Dip bottoms of cooled biscotti into chocolate, allowing excess to drip back into bowl.  Allow to set on wax paper.

You can't really SEE the bacon, but it's in there, and gives a nice slightly smoky complexity that underscores the richness of the chocolate.  In other words: YUM.

Recipe from here.