Almond Biscotti

Vegan Biscotti

I've made biscotti as holiday gifts several times in the past, inspired by my fab. Auntie Jill who makes the best biscotti in the world!! (And for the Holidays, what is more perfect in the land of coffee, than a goodie basket with biscotti, coffee, a nice mug and other treats?)

So - I thought this year I would 'try' to find a vegan biscotti recipe to make. This is a variation from one found in "Nona's Vegan Italian Kitchen". I revised it to suit my tastes a bit (a lot!!).
YAY! Here we go!
We've tried these several times in the last couple weeks and they always turn out yummy - and nobody cares that they're vegan!! We also used pistachios and dried cranberries for a different taste . (The green pistachios and red cranberries are VERY festive looking, I might add.)
So - for everyone on my holiday list this year, if you come asking for the biscotti recipe I made, this is it..

(Oh - and they're way easier than they seem - don't be intimidated by the lengthy directions.)
Biscotti:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached cane sugar
3/4 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
1-3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups almonds, (pecans, hazlenuts or pistachios) toasted and chopped
1/2 cup raisins or cranberries or chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven the 325.
Lightly oil two cookie sheets.
Use double layer shiny ones, if you have them.
If yours are very black, line them with foil. (As you'll notice in the pictures, I forgot to do this)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.
Ina medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, applesauce, oil (1TBS for a hard biscotti, 2-3 TBS for a softer biscuit), and extracts.
Stir the sugar mixture into the flour mixture, add the nuts, and fruit and finish mixing with your hands.
With floured hands, shape the dough into two 3-inch wide"logs" about 3/4 inch thick, with the ends squared off.
Place these on the cookie sheets.
Bake the logs for about 25 minutes.
Remove the pans and reduce the oven heat to 300F.
Cool the logs on a rack for 15 minutes. Cut the logs carefully with a sharp knife straight across into 1/2 inch wide slices.
Place the slices cut side down on the cookie sheets.
(you can remove the foil, if using.) Bake 5-10 minutes, or until golden on the bottom.
Turn the slices over and cook 5-10 minutes more, or until golden on bottom.
Cool on racks, then store airtight for up to two weeks

Vegan 'Mexican' Chocolate Chip Cookies

I guess basic Chocolate Chip Cookies are a good place to start... and I guess these aren't exactly "basic" because they have cocoa and cinnamon in them, but they're one of our favorites, and everyone always asks for the recipe - so I'm starting with it as my first recipe post.
The kids make these for bake sales and school events all the time, I decided to try veganizing them and after a few attempts we got it right - yay - no more eggs in this kitchen!!
I would assume they're called "Mexican" chocolate cookies is simply because of the addition of the cinnamon? Who knows, but they ARE good!

Vegan 'Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies'

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Wet ingredients:

1/3 cup water
3/4 cup turbinado sugar or raw sugar
1/4 cup brown rice syrup, dark corn syrup or agave nectar (which I have never used)
1 teaspoon REAL vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup oil

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls, then add the wet mix to the dry mix and combine well.
Grease a baking tray.
Make one inch balls which are then flattened.
They don't spread out too much when baking.
Bake in a moderate oven at about 350F for 12-14 minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet a few moments and then remove to cooling rack.

Why am I doing this anyway?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

OK, I've started this blog for several reasons;

First of all, I love to cook and ultimately, make messes in my kitchen. My kids love to help me - thus making even MORE messes... but we have fun!!

Second I have been toying with the idea of "going vegan" and am experimenting with various new recipes and ingredients, and also attempting to "veganize" old favorites.

Thirdly (if thirdly is a word, and I don't even know if it is) my family and friends have asked me for certain recipes repeatedly, and instead of constantly re-writing the recipes out for them, I am going to refer them here...

Oh, and since it's my birthday, I thought it was as good a time as any to start this thing...

So, thats it. Oh wait, a little about me? Bleh.

I'm an 'over 40' Special Education Teacher and Mom - I have three wonderful (and almost vegan) daughters and am interested in cooking (especially for family and friends), drawing, gardening, outdoor activities, reading (mostly biographies), dabbling in occasional website design for friends, beadwork and pottery, Northwest Native American history and culture, and my horses.
I collect cookbooks, (my favorite are the regional ones that are just compilations of ordinary recipes by ordinary people from a certain state or culture- and of course vegetarian/vegan ones).
I also collect little dragon statues, an occasional frog, and teapots - I love teapots... and TEA!

Watch for recipes here sometime in the future when I feel inspired to post something...