Oatmeal Almond Biscotti

There is just something so comforting about a cup of coffee, especially "a handcrafted latte" from a Seattle coffee shop, which for less than four dollars you can feel like somebody special :).  Zoka is my current favorite.  My favorite coffee pairing is good biscotti of which there are so many recipes easy to vary with whatever nut, chocolate, and sometimes dried fruit suits your taste.  The most important is the biscotti base, not the add-ins, so that it is crunchy, not too soft like a cookie, but not so hard that you break a tooth unless you dip in coffee (or wine like the Italians:)).  What I have learned is that there are quite a few biscotti recipes which omit butter and/or eggs... NOT for me!  Those give me a toothache.  I had fun making my own variation below.  Hope you try it!

Oatmeal Almond Biscotti
T's original recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup raw (turbinado) sugar

3 organic eggs

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 teaspoon pure Madagascar vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. 
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed of an electric mixer for about 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time with mixer on low.  Add almond extract and vanilla if desired.  In a separate bowl mix whisk together flour, rolled oats, baking powder, salt, then mix slowly in with wet ingredient mixer bowl.  Add almonds and chocolate chips until just incorporated. Transfer dough to baking sheet. Lightly oil hands and form dough into a long flat log (or two depending on the size of your baking sheet). Bake until outside of log is firm and browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Slice loaf into 1 cm thick slices. Return to oven and bake until lightly toasted, about 12 minutes. Cool. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.