Vegan Chocolate-Walnut Biscotti

By Pam Hadder

Italy and I have this “thing” going on – well, at least I am certainly smitten, but she may care less, lol!  The cooler temps today are reminding me of my visit to Toscana in March 2010 with my son, Kelsen, and FC.  Kelsen was only nine years old, and it was such a treat to stop by a friend’s Firenze café and enjoy  espresso and a glorious assortment of fresh-baked biscotti.  Kelsen had frothed milk and honey.

Fortified from a long day of travel and instantly converted to all tastes Italiano, we faced the raw March air with renewed energy. I have been delighted to find many vegan biscotti recipes over the past years (I have been vegan since March 2012), and thankfully many vegan cooks and bakers share their tips and methods online. This recipe has been a favourite, and has been adapted from a number of online recipes - bake these one restful afternoon and please enjoy in the best of health xo

Ingredients:
Makes about 50 biscotti
1 cup walnut halves (or pecans, hazelnuts)
2-1/2 cups spelt flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
½ cup baking cocoa
3 Tbsp. espresso coffee (extra fine ground, dark roast coffee)
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
Pinch of fine sea salt
4 flax eggs or other egg substitutes*
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cold water as needed

For Chocolate Drizzle:
4 ounces vegan chocolate or chocolate chips
1-1/2 tsp. canola oil

Method:

Make the flax eggs first thing unless you are using ready-made egg subs. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together spelt flour, cocoa, espresso grounds, salt, baking powder, baking soda and set aside. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the flax eggs, beating in the brown sugar gradually until well-blended and fluffy – stir in the vanilla extract. Stir flour mixture gradually into the wet mixture. If the dough seems dry, add some cold water a tablespoon at a time until it binds properly. I used 4 tablespoons of water the last time I made these – the variation depends on the quality of flour, cocoa, and other factors like humidity and the accuracy of measurement.  

Divide the dough in half and place one portion on a lightly floured surface – with lightly floured hands, pat the dough into a 6” square. Scatter half of the walnuts on the dough, pressing them into the surface. Roll the dough into a cylinder about 2” in diameter and 12 – 15” in length.  Place the roll on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat process with the second portion of dough.  Brush tops of both rolls with water, using a pastry brush.  Place in oven and bake 15-20 minutes, until firm to the touch. Transfer to a large cutting board, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, and cut with a sharp, non-serrated blade into ¾” slices. Replace cut slices on the prepared baking sheet with cut interior surface facing up, and return to oven. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, flipping the biscotti midway. Finished biscotti will be crisp and dry on the exterior. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before drizzling with chocolate. 

To prepare the drizzle, measure chocolate and oil into a small microwave-safe bowl and heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, checking and stirring at one minute intervals for the first two minutes, and every 15 seconds thereafter – you want to avoid scorching the chocolate. All pieces may not liquify, but if you remove the chocolate, and stir, it will become smooth in a few seconds. The drizzle can be spooned over the biscotti, or it can be brushed onto the flat sides.  Allow chocolate to set before storing in a loosely covered glass jar.

Note: I like my biscotti on the softer side – I’ve tasted some that are like a rock! If you find your finished biscotti are too dry, pop them into a plastic storage container with a tight sealing lid; they will soften in a day or two – until then, dunk them in some tasty espresso or cappuccino or…

*Pureed prunes, mashed bananas and apple sauce all work as egg subs for this recipe – they are all great vegan binders, but I find the flax eggs work best and enjoy the flavour the most.