Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and orange zest. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir to blend thoroughly. Stir in the nuts. The dough will be soft.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into three equal pieces. Lightly flour each piece and shape it into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 8 to 9 inches long. Place the logs about 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Press each log down to make it about 3/4-inch thick and 3 inches wide.

Bake until puffed and lightly browned on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on the pan, then slide the logs onto a work surface. Using a long, sharp knife, cut each log crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices. Make each cut with a single swipe of the blade. Dont use a sawing motion, which will break the cookies.

Place the cookies, cut-side down, on the baking sheet. (The cookies can be touching.) Bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, turn each cookie over. Bake until the biscotti are lightly browned, 10 to 14 minutes more. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Place about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate on the tip of each biscotti and spread the chocolate from the tip to the center so the biscotti is nearly half-covered. Place the biscotti on a wire rack and let set until the chocolate is hard, 2 to 3 hours.

This recipe yields about 3 1/2 dozen biscotti.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen

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