Barberry Chocolate Chip Spelt Biscotti

by Lora Wiley-Lennartz

My husband, like most, views shopping as an evil necessity. I never expect him to accompany me and when in Germany I usually ride my bike to the supermarkets and take my time perusing and selecting items. Before we left Germany after the holidays, the last grocery trip  was a fast one because we went together and I always feel the supermarket sweep type pressure to get everything together as quickly as possible to prevent him from suffering further shopping torture.

I whizzed by these on the way to the checkout and despite risking furthering husband’s discomfort, I backtracked, risked losing a favorable place in line and grabbed them to bring them home for further inspection.

I’ve heard of barberries but not tasted them. These were dried and had a great flavor. At first taste, they are tangy but they finish with a lovely burst of sweet flavor. So into the suitcase they went for further experimenting.

First up is this biscotti. I used spelt flour for a heartier flavor and complemented the berries with mini chocolate chips. The combination made this recipe outstanding. These babies made it two dinner parties and earned raves. I did my best to spread the rest around to other people but they were gone lickity split.

Craisins could be substituted for these probably hard to find barberries but if you can get your hands on some barberries, make these stat.

Barberry Chocolate Chip Spelt Biscotti

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1+3/4 cups spelt flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup dried barberries
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Whisk together the flour and baking powder and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a mixer beat oil and sugar until combined.
  • Add eggs and extract.
  • Add flour mixture until throughly combined.
  • Tun mixer on low and add barberries and chips just until evenly mixed in.
  • Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough with your hands on one side (lengthwise) of the baking sheet into a long log about 3 inches wide. Pat the top down to make it flat.
  • Repeat with the other half making sure there is at least 2 inches between the logs.
  • Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the logs turn golden brown.
  • Turn oven down to 250 degrees, remove the baking from oven and let stand about 10 minutes. 
  • Slice each log into 1 inch pieces. Lay them on their sides and return to oven.
  • When the biscotti are completely dry, remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.

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2 comments

Angie Schneider January 17, 2014 - 9:28 am

These biscotti look fantastic! I love that you have used my favourite grain spelt to make those Italian classic.

Reply
Deborah Mitchell January 15, 2014 - 2:57 pm

These look delicious and the barberries look like craisins. Maybe I can find the barberries online.
Either way, these look yum!

Reply

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