ALMOND CHOCOLATE BALLS RECIPES

Steps:

• Dissolve coffee granules in warm rum. Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, almonds and rum mixture until blended. Stir in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour., Shape mixture into 1-in. balls; roll in crushed cookies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, separating layers with waxed paper.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Toast the almonds in a shallow pan for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan a few times, until almonds are lightly colored. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 or 3 cookie sheets with aluminum foil, shiny side up.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Place 1/2 cup of these dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Add about a half cup of the toasted almonds and process for about 30 seconds.
• Return the mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir in the remaining almonds and chocolate chips. In a large measuring cup, beat the eggs, vanilla and whiskey with a fork to blend. Stir into the dry ingredients until moistened. Wet your hands and divide the dough into four portions. Keeping hands wet, form each quarter into strips about 9 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch high. Round the ends. Place two strips crosswise on each of the cookie sheets.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. If baking more that one sheet at a time, reverse the sheets top to bottom halfway through cooking time.
• Using a metal spatula remove the slabs from cookie sheets and let cool for 20 minutes on cutting board. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees F.
• With a serrated knife, carefully cut at an angle into slices about 1/2 inch wide. Place the slices, cut side down, onto cookie sheets.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the biscotti is crispy and lightly toasted.
• Turn oven off and open the oven door, allowing the biscotti to cool in the oven. When cool, store in an airtight container.