2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick margarine, -- 6 tablespoons
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs -- lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped almonds
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cherries -- chopped
demerara sugar for sprinkling

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3.  Working with a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the margarine and sugar together on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until a dough forms.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Mix in the chopped nuts, dried cherries and chocolate chips.

4.  Divide the dough in half.  Wet your hands and shape each half of the dough into a 12 inch log right on the baking sheet.  Each log should be about 2 inches wide.  Flatten the top of the log with your hands.  Sprinkle each log with demerara sugar or another coarse sugar of your choice.

5.  Bake the logs for 30 minutes.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and put it on a cooling rack and cool the logs for one hour or more.

6.  Working with one log at a time, using a long serrated knife, cut each log into slices between 1/2 and 3/4 inches thick.  Stand the slices up on the baking sheet and bake the cookies again for just 10 minutes.  Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.

To see more cookies/biscotti from Nanette click here.