GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND AND COCOA NIB LACE BISCUITS
Cocoa (or cacao) nibs are unsweetened, fermented, dried and roasted cacao beans which are broken into small crunchy pieces called nibs. They are a rich source of antioxidants, fibre and minerals as well as being very versatile.
They can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes but in keeping with our convenient and sweet Christmas recipes we’ve opted to use them in this very easy recipe for Almond and Cocoa Nib Lace Biscuits.
We’ve used festive cutters to shape ours for Christmas but they’re just fine as they come, straight out of the oven.
They make a delicious foil for creamy desserts or a lovely, crunchy treat at any time.
Thanks to our friend Bronwyn for introducing us to them and to Aran Goyoaga for the original recipe.
Rosie
ALMOND AND COCOA NIB LACE BISCUITS
With thanks for the recipe to Aran Goyoaga author of Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple: A New Way to Bake Gluten-Free.
Makes around 20 biscuits
55 gm almond meal
70 gm caster sugar
45 gm flaked almonds, raw, coarsely chopped
45 gm cocoa nibs
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
¼ teaspoon bi-carb soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
55 gm organic coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons canned, full-fat coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line two or more baking trays with baking paper.
In a medium sized bowl, place the almond meal, caster sugar, chopped flaked almonds, cocoa nibs, tapioca starch, bi-carb soda, salt and orange zest and mix until well combined.
Add the coconut oil and coconut milk and mix thoroughly.
Take 1.5 teaspoons of the mixture and, with damp hands, shape it into little balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking trays leaving 6 or 7 cm between each one as they like to spread.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
If you wish to cut the biscuits into Christmas (or any other) shapes as we’ve done, carefully place your chosen biscuit cutter shape on top of the biscuits while they are still hot and press down firmly. You may need to cut around the shape with a sharp knife.
If the biscuits become too hard to cut, place the tray back in the oven for 1 minute to soften them.
If you prefer to leave them ‘au naturel’ but would like the edges a bit neater, place a 10cm biscuit cutter over each biscuit, encasing it, and rotate the cutter around the biscuit, neatening up the edges as you go.
Allow the biscuits to stand on the baking tray for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.
The biscuits should keep for up to a week if stored correctly.
They are delicious as an accompaniment to ice-cream and particularly with Affogato as the cocoa nibs and coffee make excellent bed-fellows.