5 Crunchy

Khapli Wheat Biscotti

Recipes To Pair With A Cup Of Coffee

There’s something about having a hot cup of coffee or tea that just makes you crave a crunchy treat with it. And biscotti, the classic Italian biscuit (made from almonds), is one that you can enjoy without having to cruise around the pebbled streets on your Vespa. 

The biscotti are different from most biscuits or cookies because they are twice-baked. The second bake is crucial to achieving the signature crisp texture because it completely removes moisture from the dough. And it’s why they don’t fall apart when dunked into coffee or tea! Find the recipe for basic Khapli wheat biscotti, along with flavour variations to try. 

This is the traditional, classic biscotti recipe made with fibre-rich Khapli wheat instead of all-purpose flour. This will have a more earthy or nuttier taste than the usual biscotti. 

The following ingredient list yields between 18 and 20 biscotti. 

• Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta: 200 g

• Baking powder: 1 tsp

• Salt: ¼ tsp

• Powdered sugar: 100 g

• Unsalted butter, softened: 80 g

• Eggs: 2

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Chopped almonds: 75 g

• Orange zest (optional): 1 tsp

As with any baked treat, the first step is to preheat the oven. Preheat it to 180°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Now, begin with your batter. First, whisk together the khapli atta, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Take another bowl, add butter and sugar and beat until creamy. Now, add the eggs. Make sure to add them one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then stir in the chopped nuts and orange zest. Lightly dust your hands with flour, especially if the dough feels sticky, before transferring it onto the prepared baking tray. Shape into a log and bake for 30–35 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool for 10–15 minutes. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice it diagonally into 1.5–2 cm thick pieces. Avoid cutting while the loaf is piping hot, as it may crumble. Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes, flip each biscotti over, and bake for another 8–10 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool completely on a wire rack before storing.

This is the simplest modification to the classic recipe, since it just adds more nuts or uses different ones from the traditional almonds. For this one, simply add 75–100g of roasted almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, or a mix of nuts. Pistachios add a light sweetness, while walnuts provide a satisfying crunch; you can use the nut type that best suits your preference. Chop and stir them into the batter like you would with the standard recipe. 

This version blends the bitter notes of dark chocolate with the nutty Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta. Add 60–75g chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips into the dough. You can also mix in 20g of cocoa powder for a more pronounced taste, but then reduce the flour by the same quantity. A quick tip: if you’re making this biscotti, use chopped chocolate or baking chips rather than compound chocolate bars, which can melt excessively during baking.

This one’s a classic flavour combination that works especially well with khapli wheat biscotti. Simply add 1½ tsp of ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp of brown sugar to the dough. Cinnamon gives the biscotti a gentle warmth and pleasing aroma. You can even mix 1 tbsp of sugar with ½ tsp of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the log before the first bake. This one’s perfect for rainy evenings. 

This is a fruit-forward version that adds the sweet, chewy goodness of dried berries to the nutty biscotti. Because khapli flour has a slightly nuttier flavour than maida, it pairs particularly well with berries. To make this, add dried cranberries, blueberries, cherries, or raisins to the dough. Make sure you use dried, not fresh, berries. Fresh berries release moisture, which can make the biscotti soft rather than crisp. And it’s not really a biscotti unless it’s got that signature crispiness.

It’s easy to modify the basic biscotti recipe with common flavours because the technique (mix, shape, first bake, and second bake) remains the same. You only need to swap or add flavouring ingredients. It’s also a forgiving dish, but since Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Wheat Atta absorbs moisture differently from refined flour, avoid adding extra flour unless the dough is extremely sticky. Also, biscotti continue to crisp as they cool, so don't overbake them during the second bake.