At a recent writer retreat and workshop on Writing the Other (more on this later), I spent some time in the kitchen making treats for the writers and instructors. A popular one was the biscotti, and I was asked to share the recipe, hence this post. What follows is original recipe, from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, and then, below the photo, a variation on ingredients that I used (with the same steps to bake) to make a chocolate almond biscotti.
I hope you enjoy.
Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti –
from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar pg 211
- 1/3 cup almond milk (I used soymilk)
- 2 TBSP ground flax seeds
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 TBSP arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond milk and flax seeds, beating for about 20 seconds.
3. Mix in the orange zest, sugar, oil, and vanilla.
4. Sift in the flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, all-spice and salt.
5. Stir to combine, and just before the dough comes together knead in the chocolate chips and cranberries. If cranberries and chips pop out, just press them back in as well as you can.
6. On the parchment, form the dough into a log and press it into a rectangle about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes until lightly puffed and browned.
7. Let the log cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 325F. Carefully transfer the baked log to a cutting board. With a heavy, very sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch-thick slices. The best way to do this is one motion, pushing down – don’t “saw” the slices off or they can crumble.
9. Stand slices, curved side up, 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until biscotti appear dry and toasted. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Almond Biscotti – a variation
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 2 TBSP ground flax seeds
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 TBSP arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup toasted almond slivers
Follow the same baking directions as above. For fancier biscotti, have an additional 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and almond slivers set aside for the recipe. Chop the almonds. Melt the chocolate, and drizzle it over the top of the cooled biscotti, and sprinkle the almond pieces over top.