Oh the joy of a biscotti, aren’t they the best? But if you’re gluten-free how can you possibly enjoy a crispy, tasty biscotti like everyone else? What are you going to dip into your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? I don’t know. And for awhile I was at a loss for what to do every time I drank coffee or tea. Sipping it was just so, boring. However, an idea hit me right in the face, literally, and I thought, “why can’t I make a gluten-free version?”. So, I looked up recipes and ended up buying a wonderful gluten-free baking book. I finally found a recipe that looked good, had healthy ingredients, was gluten-free, and overall pleased my rather picky brain. I believe I have had too many, I kept tasting them and tasting them, making sure they tasted perfect. Now I can’t even taste the deliciousness of them, and I’m sitting here looking like a huge whale on a sugar high. But they are good, more than good, that is why I kept tasting them. Bad idea…

INGREDIENTS: (all ingredients are organic and GMO free)

1 cup pecan flour

(Using a coffee grinder, food processor, blender, or flour grinder to grind up about 2 cups of organic raw pecans, until fine. Don’t blend too much or it will turn into pecan butter).

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

3/4 cup coconut sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

4 egg whites

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup coconut oil – melted

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 1/2 cups almonds, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then lightly spread olive oil over the surface.

2) In a medium bowl, combine the pecan flour, almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, and baking powder, mix until combined. In a mixing bowl, mix together the egg whites and vanilla extract together until thoroughly blended, then add the coconut oil and mix for a few seconds, until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined to make a thick, sticky dough.

The dough should look like this.

3) Stir in the chopped almonds until evenly distributed.

4) Use a rubber spatula to transfer the dough to the center of the prepared pan. Using wet hands, form into 2 ovals about 3/4 inches tall.

5) Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan and bake for another 10-15 minutes  until golden brown and still springy when pressed in the center. It’s really important NOT to over bake at this point.

6) Let cool on the pan for 2 minuets, then, while the loaves are still hot, use a sharp knife to cut them into slices. Use a spatula to transfer the slices to a wire rack.

7) Lower the oven temperature to 275 degrees. Put the wire rack with the biscotti back into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the wire rack, flip the biscotti over, then bake for 15 to 20 more minutes, or as needed, until all sides of the biscotti are golden brown and feel crisp. Let  the biscotti cool on the rack for about 45 minutes, or until completely cool.

8) While you are waiting for the biscotti to cool, make the chocolate glaze. Combine the cup of chocolate and the tablespoon of coconut oil in a small pan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth.

9) When the biscotti are completely cool to the touch, dip one end into the chocolate glaze, drizzle it on top, or dip one end in and top with unsweetened shredded coconut. Return them to the wire rack and let them cool completely until the chocolate hardens. I put them in the fridge so they would cool faster.

Now you can enjoy that cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Life just got that much better.