Chocolate Dipped Caramel Biscotti

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Then add sugar, baking powder and salt and beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Gradually add flour and beat in as much as you can with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour by hand. Stir in caramel bits and almonds.

Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface and with lightly floured hands shape each piece of the dough into a log about 10 x 2 inches. Place dough rectangles about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Cool pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. (It’s important to let it cool otherwise the biscotti will crumble and break if you try to cut it while hot.)

Reduce oven temperature to 300ºF. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll diagonally into ½ inch thick slices.

Place slices upright on the cookie sheet about ½ inches apart and bake for 12-15 minutes. Then remove them from the oven and cool biscotti on wire racks.

Place a medium-sized heatproof glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure that the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Add chocolate to the bowl and stir until chocolate has melted. Turn off heat and dip the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Place dipped biscotti onto a Silpat lined cookie sheet to set. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with a little sea salt. Store in airtight container.