Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Cookie Bookie: Dark Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Biscotti

Cookie Bookie Week
Click here to see yesterday's cookie on Serious Eats...
With the cooling weather, there's just nothing better than a comfortable chair, a glowing fireplace, a cookie and a spooky story. Every day this week, I'm sharing a cookie and a few of my favorite October reads.... Today's Book: The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton

Although Wharton is better known for novels like The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence, her short ghost stories are equally brilliant. These aren't modern-day slash em' up scary tales, just intelligent vignettes of imperfect people during their most frightening moments. Her inspiration for these tales came from an overwhelming childhood fear....

When Edith was nine years old, she became ill with typhoid fever. During her long process of recovery, books became her favorite bedside companions. A playmate loaned her an eerie book about robbers and ghosts. Edith was so upset by the book that she slept with the lights on for the next eight years. In fact, until she was twenty seven years old, she was unable to sleep in a room that contained even a reference to ghosts, even burning books from her own library. Finally, with her childhood fears conquered, she tackled the writing of spooky stories herself, made all the better by her intimate understanding of irrational fear.
My favorite of her ghost stories is All Hollow's Eve. A lonely widow inherits a stately mansion and two terse servants. During her first weekend, she sprains her ankle on a patch of ice and is confined to her bed. She wakes in the middle of the night in pain and rings for her maid. When no one comes, she realizes that the electricity in the house is dead. She limps down to the servant's quarters, but the rooms are empty. A voice, calm and low, is heard from somewhere in the pitch-black house. Should she go and see who it is? Would you????
I won't spoil the tale, but I hope you'll find out for yourself.... In the meantime, here's a cookie, doing double duty as your Bookie treat and as my assignment for Tuesdays with Dorie. It's a crunchy pumpkin biscotti, dipped in frighteningly delicious dark chocolate. Some things, like cookies and ghost stories, are much better in the dark....
Money Saving Tips: Since these cookies use only a small amount of pumpkin puree, you can freeze the extra in zip top baggies for extra use. I used chocolate chips for dipping to save even more.
Dark Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Biscotti
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan
Estimated Cost: $2.50 for 20
Notes: Pumpkin seeds would be perfect for sprinkling on top of the chocolate. I used what I had-chopped salted peanuts.
1 cup all purpose flour (I used half whole wheat), plus more
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
generous pinch of salt
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon each ginger and cinnamon
3 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted, for dipping
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, powder, salt, cornmeal, ginger and cinnamon. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in pumpkin puree and egg. Gently mix in flour mixture until just combined; dough will be sticky. Using a generous amount of flour on hands, shape dough into a log, about 1 and 1/2 inches wide and 15 inches long. Bake log for 15 minutes. Cool biscotti for 20 minutes. Gently slice biscotti into 3/4 inch thick slices with a serrated knife. Place on cookie sheet, laying down. Bake for another 15 minutes or until firm. When biscotti are cool, dip in melted chocolate. Sprinkle chocolate with nuts, if desired. Coming Tomorrow:
More Cookie Bookie
Peanut Butter Reeses Piece's Cookies

103 comments:

  1. The biscotti looks great. I like Roald Dahl's Tales of The unexpected for similar creepy moments. Thanks for the Edith Wharton recommendation.

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  2. Sounds yummy! I'm a pumpkin advocate, and I bet they're just to-die-for dipped in dark choco!

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  3. Interesting information about Edith Wharton; and hooray for SCRUMPTIOUS cookies!! :0)

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  4. I don't know if I would like the gost stories, maybe I would be too scared :( But I'm positive I would love your pumpkin biscotti, specially after you dipped them in chocolate!

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  5. Your biscotti are amazing, I would have never thought of putting pumpkin in them. But that's probably because I have never used pumpkin for anything!

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  6. Your variation look wonderful. This was my first try with Dorie. What fun!

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  7. Oh yum! Pumpkin biscotti! I'll have to try this!

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  8. I didn't know that about Edith Wharton. Interesting! The pumpkin was a great idea! Especially with the chocolate! Yummy. You're a girl after my own heart, Prudy!

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  9. YUM. pumpkin and chocolate, you're killing me. but pumpkin and chocolate and wharton?!!!! man. that's great.

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  10. I remember Reading All Hallows Eve a long time ago. I really like your take on the biscotti. I can always count on you to put a very tasty twist on your creations.

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  11. Now I'm grateful, because Edith Wharton is one of my favorite writers, too, and I don't think I've read the ghost stories...and what a great idea to put pumpkin in your biscotti! My Goddaughter makes pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and if someone complains before they eat them, they change their minds after they eat them!
    Audrey

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  12. Mine spread like a middle age belly.

    Why didn't yours?

    Yours look so great!

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  13. pumpkin biscotti sounds so nice right now.. perfect with a hot cup of tea (or coffee).

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  14. Pumpkin AND chocolate AND in a cookie no less--PLUS a great book suggestion to boot--Prudy you are quickly becoming one of my first stops on Tuesdays!

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  15. That book sounds too scary for me! Looking at your biscotti, I think I might have to make these again. Pumpkin anything is my favorite and these look to die for! What a wonderful adaptation, Prudy!

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  16. I love learning about these great books/authors from you! And I love your biscotti evevn more!

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  17. Dark chocolate... yum! They look so delicious!

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  18. Chocolate chic-That's a good question. The answer is I don't know for sure. I did use b powder and b soda. I almost always do since I feel like I always get a more reliable baked good.

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  19. Pumpkin..yum! What a great choice of ingredients and what beautiful biscotti! I love the information on the Edith Wharton books too. THank you!

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  20. Cookies AND books? I can get behind that!

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  21. Great fall cookies. I love chocolate and pumpkin.

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  22. Pumpkin?? What a great twist! I love the big dunk of chocolate too!

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  23. Your biscotti look perfect Erin! Much nicer than my crumbs and mmm...pumpkin, sounds mighty tasty too!!! I love Edith Wharton novels myself. Great choice of book to recommend!

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  24. Prudy,
    I love the book recommendations. Edith Wharton is always interesting. I loved Ethan Frome and The House of Mirth. Wharton had a unique childhood and came from a very wealthy family.
    I will have to read these ghost stories. The story sounded very similar to one written by Ray Bradbury. Actually it was a chapter from Dandelion Wine and was a true event from his own life.
    Also, I love Biscotti. How could I not? It''s not just Italian. It's crunchy!

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  25. I never would have thought of turning Dorie's recipe into dark chocolate pumpkin biscotti! I'm so stealing your idea because I have plenty of pumpkin in the freezer. Great tip on freezing it because it's better to buy a huge can but I can never use it all within a reasonable time period.

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  26. Your biscotti looks fabulous. Mine was not plump enough, but tasted good anyway! My next batch will be much improved. I love pumpkin - I'm sure that was really good.

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  27. Thanks prudy for a great pumpkin idea,I made flan and a pie with Pumpkins in season,your biscotti is next in list:)

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  28. Good tip about freezing the pumpkin puree! I'll have to remember that one. Your biscotti looks delish! Now you've got me all curious about the ending to that story. Tell me!!
    Clara @ iheartfood4thought

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  29. These look great! Love the chocolate coating!

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  30. Those look deadly with the chocolate dipping... I am just missing out on the cornmeal at the moment... oh, I so wish I could make them...

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  31. Prudy, your biscotti looks gorgeous! Wishing I could help myself ;-)

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  32. Well, well, well... it seems some people are so lucky they even have the time to read on top of baking biscotti... the worse is that their biscotti turn out perfect!
    Hummm... I must be doing something wrong with my time management! LOL
    BRAVO!

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  33. The biscotti looks delicious - I love pumpkin anything. The book also sounds really good - I'll be reserving it at the library.

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  34. Oh Prudy how pretty! What a great cookie to make! I LOVE pumkin and have always wanted to roll up my sleeves and make biscotti!

    I am a bookaholic! I don't know how I would fair with ghost stories though! A great fall read is "Jane Eyre!" Love it! We watched the 1944 black and white movie with Joan Fonataine and Orson Welles afterwords (awesome, awesome movie!) I can here Orson's deep voice calling out "Jane . . . Jane!"

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  35. Prudy -- get this, it is really eerie: when I ring for my maid in the middle of the night, no one comes for me, either!! Same thing when I ring for the maid in the middle of the day! I had not realized that there might be a supernatural reason for that, but I better look into it! I read "The House of Mirth" long ago but have not read any of Wharton's short stories. I will need to look for this book before the month is over -- these stories sound so fun, in a spooky creepy way.

    I absolutely love your take on Dorie's biscotti! The chocolate dip is brilliant. I can't wait to try your recipe!

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  36. what a great variation! is there anything that pumpkin is not good in?!

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  37. Emily:
    Jane Eyre is one of the best reads, agreed. Bertha really makes it spooky too.
    Did you read Wide Sargasso Sea? It's a different author's prequel about Bertha and Rochester.

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  38. The biscotti looks great and thanks for info about the book and author- I can see how she would be upset by the ghost story and how it helped make for some great stories of her own, later on! :)

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  39. Oh delicious!! For someone who loves pumpkin so much, I have to admit that I have very little imagination for pumpkin recipes! This just sounds heavenly.

    Also, to your question about Tofu Meatballs (sorry it's such late reply, I am so behind with blogs lately)...I am quite sure you can use all tofu - firm kind. Maybe you need to add some more eggs or crumbs to hold it together though. :D Hope it works out for you. I should try 'all tofu' version one day.

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  40. I couldn't agree more about the need for well written ghost stories. Your biscotti look wonderful, I love the chocolate.

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  41. Wow, those biscotti look amazing. Delicious.

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  42. The biscotti looks great! It made me think of that delicious chocolate biscotti you made a few months ago. It was so good! I can't wait to get my hands on this book. It sounds so good and deliciously spooky!

    We made your whopper cookies yesterday. They were so good. It took me a while to make them, because I kept forgetting ovaltine at the market!

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  43. Wow! that looks delicious! I love the story you told as well!

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  44. Prudy aka Erin.....OOoooooooowwwwwwww
    Love your Cookie Bookie theme. Great idea sharing food for the brain and food for the belly. : )

    Pumpkin & Chocolate a great pairing...sounds delish.
    I am so enthusiastic about making biscotti now. Can't believe I snubbed it all these years. Ooops

    Thanks again for stopping by.
    AmyRuth

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  45. I've got to read those stories. They sound brilliant. I love ghosts!

    I'll be sending you an e-mail later today!

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  46. Wonderful variation!! I love the idea of pumpkin ones and how much better with dark chocolate! Yum!

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  47. Great idea with the dark chocolate. You can't beat a bit of decadence now and then!

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  48. Looks great! I'm going to have to find this book!

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  49. Oh....my....lord....

    *gulp*

    I adore biscotti and I would marry pumpkin puree if I could. I MUST make these!!

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  50. WOW! These look super delicious. The dipping of the biscotti in dark chocolate is what makes it. I wonder if these would go well with a ginegerbread latte? That would be the ultimate seasonal indulgence. Haha.

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  51. Cookies and reading...I love your posts! And, I love pumpkin AND chocolate...I'll have to make these biscotti. Looking forward to tomorrow's post! =)

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  52. Pumpkin and chocolate sound great. They look good too!

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  53. Mmm pumpkin biscotti would be perfect for this time of year. I love the cookie bookie series - very creative.

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  54. I am going to have to read Edith Wharton. Thanks for the great information about her! You're killing me with all of these wonderful cookies. All I want to do these days is make cookies -- forget about dinner! I love your blog!

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  55. Those look wonderful with the chocolate. I would never have thought to pair pumpkin and chocolate together, but I'm glad somebody did!

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  56. wow!! this is biscotti to the max. the flavor sounds divine (i am a sucker for pumpkin and, of course, chocolate.) they came out beautifully!

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  57. I want to make pumpkin biscotti now!!!! Looks so darn good.

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  58. Yummy treat, and the book looks good! I love Ghost stories!

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  59. I love pumpkin, so I'll definitely try your recipe. They look lovely.

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  60. THIS is biscotti I can get on board with. I don't usually care for biscotti but your combo looks great!

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  61. You've sold me! I need to check out that book! And your cookies... LOVE the pumpkin chocolate combo!!!

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  62. YUM! Your biscotti looks scrumptious! I would definitely buy them if I saw them in a shop.

    I had hoped to participate in this week's TWD but my son has Bronchitis and has been home sick from school. If things get back on track, I hope to take part next week.

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  63. ikYou know I have never had biscotti. I know what a tragedy! I must remedy this problem and make some!
    I have read Age of Innocence and enjoyed it. This book sounds wonderful. I love scary stories. Well, not too scary.
    I loved reading about the background of this book and the author. It was fascinating really. Next chance I get I'm making some biscotti and getting my hands on that book! Thanks again Prudy!

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  64. The biscotti looks amazing and all dipped in scrummy choccie - oh boy I could just eat one of those right now!

    Rosie x

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  65. pumpkin biscotti! sounds fabulous!!!

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  66. Im loving the pumpkin biscotti - great for halloween

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  67. Now we're talking, I love the dipped chocolate biscotti!

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  68. Ooooh GIRL! These look fantastic!! So pretty dipped in chocolate! I need to read that book now...I love stories like that!

    -Amy
    www.singforyoursupperblog.com

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  69. i stubbornly refuse to eat biscotti unless it's coated in chocolate of some sort. yeah...i'd eat yours, and i'd eat it good. :)

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  70. You know how I feel about pumpkin and chocolate. I am all over this, plus I learned something new today. Thanks!

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  71. Excellent Post--I have not read this one and will seek it out. (Much more elegant than the Bloody Finger story!) :-) On the cookies you know my pumpkin feelings--can I just lick the chocolate off?!

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  72. Yup - now this looks good! Really good!

    -DTW
    www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

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  73. Beautiful looking biscotti! I love pumpkin!

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  74. Wonderful blog!- it's got everything - lovely photos, recipes, I love the Edith Wharton article, and some pennywise saving tips. Am putting it on my favorite blogs list.

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  75. Oh my. These look so amazingly good. Pumpkin, dark chocolate and nuts? I'm swooning.

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  76. Wow, these look amazing with the pumpkin. If there's pumpkin involved I am simply compelled to love it! Great job - so seasonal. Yum!

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  77. Pumpkin sounds delicious! I love the theme for the week--I'm always looking for new things to read. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  78. WOW< I can not believe how many of us are doing the Pumpkin dance here.. I don't know how I missed your other post??? I have you in my RSS Feeds, I look forward to a new recipe every week, every day.

    Can I use Kabocha? Rather than a puree? I can always try ... BTW pictures as always are stunning Prudy!!!

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  79. Your photos are beautiful. I love your theme of the week. Thanks for the fun posts and the wonderful recipes.

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  80. You have such a fabulous blog! Not only do you cook wonderful recipes and have fabulous photos, now you are educating literarily-challenged me too!

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  81. super duper yummy! love the dipped biscotti!

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  82. Oh, I love Edith Wharton...people do not read her enough these days, do they? Always the twist at the end...delicious reading. Speaking of delicious, those biscotti of yours are outstanding...look how cute you can get those perched on that cup! Great job. I come here for the education each week!

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  83. Love Cookie-Bookie! I'm already a Wharton lover, but haven't done her ghost stories-- I will be checking that out soon! Didn't get a chance to do the TWD yet this week, but yours look scrumptious! I won't skip this recipe altogether.

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  84. Ciao ! Now I want to read that story ! I like your cookie bookie week ! And your variation of the biscotti is something to try !

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  85. yum--pumkin and chocolate is such a wonderful combo, and it really surprised me the first time i had it! i've never read EW's ghost stories...since i'm not at all a fan of slashers, but i do enjoy being disturbed (weird, right?), they may be just my style.

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  86. Ooooh, I am so in love with pumpkin and chocolate desserts! Your pumpkin biscotti log is picture-perfect.

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  87. Cookie Bookie is a great idea! Was the biscotti any good or a jaw breaker? Looks pretty amazing, but you never know...

    I'll be back tomorrow for your PB cookies. Listen to me, treating your blog like my personal recipe stash! Thank you, Prudy :)

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  88. Coffee will never be the same. I'l think of these biscottis I almost dipped into my coffee.

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  89. very fun post! I left you a little something on my blog...stop on by...www.thosemexicojones.blogspot.com

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  90. Pumpkin and chocolate yum... Ghost stories! Oh No...

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  91. Dee:
    They aren't rock hard, surprisingly. They really were yummy. I had to hide them from myself. Only I knew where to find them, so it didn't work very well.

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  92. I really learned a lot about Edith Wharton. Your cookie is scrumptious, pumpkin is perfect!

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  93. Your biscotti look wonderful! And such a fun idea for your cookie bookie week. I even like saying it! I saw your blog in the Daily Herald. That is so fun! Great Halloween ideas and recipes! You are just so talented!

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  94. Pumpkin and dark chocolate? Heaven.

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  95. Yum! What a yummy and seasonal variation! I may have to check out your ghost stories and try the biscotti recipe!

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  96. These look really delicious and different.

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  97. I've never read any of Wharton's ghost stories! This will be fun.

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  98. what a lovely idea to make pumpkin biscotti!

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  99. Holy cow. Erin, I'm scared of my own shadow! Seriously. I'm not so sure it'd be a good idea to read such a frightening book! I will definately have to make the cookies though! Oh my, those look good!
    ~Cat

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  100. Pumpkin is a great idea this time of year! And chocolate too! Delicious.

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  101. I'm a BIG biscotti fan - make 'em all the time! I have a tried & true recipe that I'm always trying variations with. But I really wanted to try pumpkin this year, so I tried this recipe.
    I don't know how you would make a
    1 1/2" log - mine is at least double that. I couldn't possibly get it any more narrow!
    Nonetheless, these turned out beautifully - a rich orange color against the dark chocolate. I sprinkled them with pumpkin seeds, as suggested, providing a delicious crunch!
    I run a catering business with my sister, and we've been serving these to clients the last week or so - big hit! Thank you :)
    ~Christine

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