Chocolate~Chocolate Toffee Biscotti

My baking today was inspired by a friend...a friend I have know through blogging for over five years.  Vee's blog, "A Haven for Vee"is a favorite amongst bloggers and has a ton of followers, including me who go to her blog to have chats with her and feel like we've been friends forever.

Getting back to the inspiration...Today, Vee asked her followers what their favorite song was (among other questions) and what came to mind for me was Rachel Platten's, "Stand by You."   It's a song that has come to express my dedication to our daughter, Kelly during her courageous battle with breast cancer.  I think we all can relate standing by people who need us the most in their darkest hour.  Anyway, the memory of Kelly drinking her coffee in the morning and having her favorite treat of a Heath Bar in the late afternoon inspired this biscotti.

Although listening to the song brought tears to my eyes, I know she is at peace and would have loved to have one of these biscotti's with her cup of coffee:-D

Chocolate~Chocolate Toffee Biscotti
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 T espresso powder
2 T boiling water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups King Arthur All-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 cup Heath Toffee Bits (you can also chop a couple of Heath Bars)
3/4 cup Bittersweet chocolate chips

Glaze:
Ghiaradelli Melting Chocolate Chips
Toffee Bits

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir the espresso into the boiling water.  Add it and the vanilla to the batter and beat on low to combine.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on low to combine, adding the Toffee Bits and chips as the mixer is running to incorporate completely.

Divide the batter into two logs, approximately 12-inches long x 3-inches wide.

Dampen your fingers a bit and smooth the surface.  Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes.  I bake with convection, so 25 minutes was perfect.  The biscotti should look dry and slightly cracked.

Allow the biscotti to cool, about 10 minutes, then slice diagonally into 3/4-inch thickness.  Lower oven to 325F-degrees and bake for 8 minutes.  Turn the biscotti over and bake an additional 8 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.  Melt the Ghiaradelli Melting Chocolate piesces and spread on the bottom of the biscotti.  Then, sprinkle with additional Toffee Bits.  The glaze takes about 30 minutes to set at room temperature, or you can put them in the refrigerator to set quicker if you can't wait...I couldn't! Enjoy!