Milk Chocolate Biscotti

7 ounces (1 1/3 cups) whole blanched almonds
7 ounces fine quality milk chocolate
1 3/4 cups sifted unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toast the almonds in a shallow pan in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12 to
15 minutes, until lightly colored, shaking the pan once or twice. You can
tell when they are done by the strong smell of toasted almonds when you open
the oven door. Set aside to cool.

Cut or break the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the bowl of a
food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Let stand.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and sugar. Add about a
cup of these sifted ingredients to the chocolate. Process for about 30
seconds, or until the chocolate is fine and powdery.

In a large bowl mix together the processed ingredients with the remaining
sifted dry ingredients. Stir in the almonds.

In a small bowl beat the eggs with the vanilla just to mix. With a large
rubber or wooden spatula stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. You
might think there is not enough liquid, but there is - just keep stirring.

Now place two 20-inch lengths of plastic wrap on the work surface. In
order to shape two loaves, spoon a strip of of the dough down the middle of
each piece of plastic wrap. Each strip should be 13 to 14 inches long.
Flatten the tops. Lift the two long sides of the plastic wrap (hold them
together as close as possible to the dough----touching the dough) and----with
your hands---press on the plastic wrap to smooth the dough and shape it into
an even strip 14 to 15 inches long, 21/2 to 3 inches wide, and 3/4 inch thick
(no thicker), with squared ends. If the strips of dough are thicker than they
should be, the baked strips will not slice neatly.

Transfer to a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about 2 hours (or
as much longer as you wish), until firm enough to be unwrapped.

To bake, adjust two tracks to divide the oven into thirds. Preheat the
oven to 300 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with baking parchment or
aluminim foil, shiny side up.

To transfer the dough to the sheets (the dough might still be a bit
sticky; if so, it is OK), open the two long sides of plastic wrap on top of
one strip of dough and turn the dough out upside down on the lined sheet,
placing it diagonally on the sheet. Slowly peel off the plastic wrap. Repeat
with the second strip and the second sheet.

Bake for 1 hour, reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back once
during baking to ensure even baking. During baking the strips will spread out
(7 to 8 inches wide).

After one hour of baking reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees and
remove the sheets from the oven. Immediately, with a wide, metal spatula
release a strip from the parchment or foil and place it on a board. Repeat
with the second strip.

Use a pot holder or a folded towel to hold the hot strip in place, and use
a serrated bread knife to cut the strip crossise into slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch
wide.

Repeat with the second strip. Place the slices, standing upright, on
unlined cookie sheets with a little space between them.

Bake for 40 minutes, reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back
once during baking. Let cool and store in an airtight container.