This was my first attempt at biscotti and

I heard this one was a good one to start with.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter and flour a baking sheet.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
When adding the cocoa, don't forget to sift it.

Here's why you sift. Look at those chucks. Not good for baking.

Push any big chunks though a strainer.

A nice powder, like it should be!

1 cup of sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 cup shelled pistachios

1/2 cup chocolate chips

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add flour mixture, and stir to form a stiff dough. Stir in pistachios and chocolate chips.

They look like peas!

Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet; form into a slightly flattened log, about 12 by 4 inches.

Bake until slightly firm, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

On a cutting board, using a sharp serrated knife, cut biscotti diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet, and bake until crisp but still slightly soft in the center, about 8 minutes.

These turned out really well and I got about a dozen of them.

The money shot! Yum!

   Alfajores

are a sandwich cookie that is very popular in

South America, mainly Argentina. 

The cookie comes from Spain, but has its roots in Middle East. 

The name Alfajor comes from the Arabic word for fancy or great sweets.  

Usually Alfajores are filled with dulce de leche or jam and then covered in powdered sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.

As you can see, I am horrible at eyeing measurements.

I always over measure my parchment (or waxed as I call it) 

paper and have to fold it under,

but I guess that's better than not having enough and having to start over.

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing until well combined, about 1 minute. Working in batches, add flour mixture; mix until well combined. Add milk, orange juice, and vanilla; continue mixing until a dough forms, 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Transfer to oven and bake, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 10 to 14 minutes.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack until completely cool.

Store-bought dulce de leche, cajeta, or jam

Confectioners' sugar, for serving (optional)

When cookies have cooled completely, spread the bottoms of half of the cookies with dulche de leche, cajeta, or jam; sandwich together with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Just before serving, lightly sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

I used strawberry jelly for my cookies because it’s what I had.  

I didn’t use confectioners’ sugar on mine, mainly because I didn’t have any. 

This recipe made 48 cookies or 24 sandwiches.

They should be good for 2-3 days.