Eggless biscotti with almonds and cranberries
Eggless biscotti with almonds and cranberries
Cantuccini (or biscotti as they are known outside of Italy) are double baked Italian cookies that are best dunked in a glass of a sweet dessert wine or a cup of strong black coffee. They are crunchy, studded with nuts (I went for almonds and cranberries) and totally moreish.
They used to be something I lived on while working in an office. I always had a box of them in my drawer and having them alongside my afternoon coffee was something I looked forward to every day. I used to kid myself that I will only have one or two tops and was always very surprised how quickly I went through them…
I’ve not had them since going vegan so there was only one thing I could do about it – make them vegan! I was a bit sceptical about the outcome at first as they essentially rely on three core ingredients: flour, sugar and eggs, and that last one is not always the easiest thing to mimic in all contexts.
But when you come to think of what an egg is from a chemical standpoint, it’s essentially protein (white) and fat (yolk) so I decided to replicate it by fortifying aquafaba (which is known to mimic egg whites so successfully) with a bit of almond butter. It was an instant hit! Even Duncan, who has just had orthodontic braces put on and was explicitly forbidden from having any, had some when my back was turned and raved about them afterwards (or maybe because he hasn’t been able to eat much lately and is always hungry, possibly).
After the initial success, I decided to try another combination: protein-rich soy milk and a touch of coconut oil and it also worked a treat! As I like to have choices and I know that you do too, I included both versions below. As far as I can tell they are both pretty good. In terms of differences, I would say that the version with the aquafaba is a bit coarser and crunchier and perhaps a touch closer to the original, but the version with soy milk and coconut oil is also really good, a bit more delicate and a bit gentler on your teeth. Also, if you are worried about your teeth and are not keen on dunking (I am becoming British slowly, I think 😉 ), just reduce the 2nd baking time and they’ll be a lot softer.
I hope you’ll enjoy these and perhaps add them to your Xmas cookie rota (if you have one going). One good thing about these biscotti is that as they are already pretty dry, you can make them a long time in advance and seal them in a airtight jar until Xmas – although I dare you to actually be able to leave some for your Xmas table 😉 !
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 125 g / 1 cup all purpose white flour*
- 65 g / 1/3 cup caster sugar (demerara sugar works too)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- pinch of fine salt
- zest of one small unwaxed orange (optional)
- 35 g / ¼ cup almonds, chopped roughly
- 30 g / ¼ cup cranberries, chopped roughly
WET INGREDIENTS (OPTION 1)
- 18 g / 1 heaped tbsp softened refined coconut oil (I use this one)
- 45 ml / 3 tbsp soy milk
- ½ tsp almond extract or vanilla extract (or both)
WET INGREDIENTS (OPTION 2)
- 60 ml / 4 tbsp aquafaba
/ chickpea water** - 16 g / 1 slightly heaped tbsp smooth almond butter
- ½ tsp almond extract or vanilla extract (or both)
- Mix the first five dry ingredients (flour to orange zest) in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Set the oven to 150° C / 300° F fan forced (or 170° C / 340° F no fan) and line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper.
- If making version 1, place the coconut oil in a small metal or glass bowl over a bowl with simmering water or in a warm place so that it melts. Once melted, using a wire whisk, whisk soy milk into the melted oil, followed by almond or vanilla extract.
- If making version 2, place the aquafaba / chickpea water in a small bowl and whisk the almond butter into it until the two are completely combined and lump free. Whisk in almond or vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient and knead gently (you don’t want to activate too much gluten in the flour) until roughly combined. The dough should be not too dry or too sticky. If it’s too dry, add a touch more (1 tsp to begin with) soy milk (version 1) or aquafaba (version 2) and if it’s too wet, add a touch more flour.
- Add chopped almonds and cranberries and incorporate them gently into the dough, making sure they are distributed more or less evenly.
- Roll the dough into a long, thick snake and then transfer it to a baking tray and flatten it into a 3-4 cm / 1-1.5″ wide and 25 cm / 10″ long log.
- Place in the hot oven for about 30-35 minutes, until the log’s surface is firm to a gentle pressure and lightly browned. Do not switch the oven off as these will need to be baked again.
- Let the log cool down for 15-20 minutes before cutting into it. Cut it into 1-1.5 cm / 0.4-0.5″ slices with a serrated knife. Place the slices on a baking tray cut side down and return them to the oven for the second bake. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until your biscotti achieves the desired crispness and colour – remember the longer you bake them the harder they get. I also found that version 1 needed about 5 minutes longer than version 2.
**I used aquafaba straight from a can of chickpeas. You can also use homemade aquafaba – here is how to make it.
Thanks
I have not tested these with wholewheat flour but they should work fine, they will be less delicate though and will probably require a touch more moisture. Brown sugar should be fine but if it's not a fine brown sugar it may not dissolve completely during baking - not a problem but something to be aware of. Chopped dates will work although something sour (cranberries add a pop of sourness to the sweet biscuits) would be even better. Hope this helps! Ania
1. The log came out small and so the biscottis we're like small round cookies. Do I need more flour to get the long shape?
2. When I was cutting the log before the second bake, the log was crumbling. I did cool it but it wasn't completely cool and I did use a serrated knife. Any suggestions so the slices remain intact?
So if you just increase the amount of flour, you'll throw the ratios out and the dough will not come together. You could increase the entire recipe by 25-50% if you wish, but it sounds like all you need to do is to shape the log differently - it needs to be flattened a little and maybe a little thinner - they are quite small cookies. As for the crumbling, it sounds like the log was a touch too dry, which I thought might happen if using wholewheat flour so adding a little more moisture to the dough should remedy it. Hope this helps and your next attempt with be spot on! x Ania
They are dry cookies by nature so as long as they are kept away from any source of moisture or humidity they should last for ages. Hope they will be a success! x Ania
Thank you thank you thank you!!
Brianna
Yes, absolutely! You may need a touch less aquafaba - start off with 3 tbsp, add more if needed - as I've found that coconut oil keeps contributes more moisture than nut butter. Hope this helps! Ania
Thanks so much for your kind words regarding my recipes. Yes, I am pretty sure that would work well although - full disclosure - I have not tried myself. Ania
I have this one little doubt that can we replace almond butter (in aquafaba verison) with regular dairy butter (salted or unsalted) ?
Please help me out
Thanks
Sam
Glad my recipe has come in handy. As a full time, long standing vegan, I am not sure I can answer your question with any full certainty. The consistency of is very different so while I think that yes, you can do the swap as I used almond butter as fat, when it comes to the amount you may need to adjust it a bit, go by feel. Sorry I cannot be of any more help! Ania
Thank you for sharing.
so easy to prepare and the result is just perfect! Even better than what i have imagined ..
I've made some changes: (and doubled the quantities after realizing the potential..)
- mixed white and spelt flour (half-half)
-Almond milk instead of soy, and added a bit more to make the dough more wet
-after 15 minutes of the second bake, flip for another 5 minutes for beautiful Color and crunchiness..
Thanks again for the brriliant recipe!
can I use almond milk instead soy milk on 1 option? I am trying to do your recipe.
thanks
What shelf life would you recommend for these?
I am guessing you mean 'cow's milk'? I suppose so although I haven't tried so I cannot guarantee it. Cheers! Ania
Can you use almond meal/flour instead of flour?
I have not tried that, but I don't think it will work well in this context.
Ania
can i use unsalted butter instead of almond butter ? because I'm not vegen but I'm vegetarian
Fresh cranberries or dried cranberries???
Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you!
Greg
I am so glad that I came across this recipe for vegan biscotti. Our family is vegetarian. Is it ok if I use normal cow's milk and normal butter instead of the soy milk and coconut oil?
I'm not sure to be honest as I do not use either of these ingredients in my cooking/baking, so at this point you are better off finding a good regular biscotti recipe instead. Good luck! Ania
It's hard to say which version you may prefer, I would say that the version with the aquafaba is a bit coarser and crunchier and perhaps a touch closer to the original, but the second version is a bit more delicate and gentler on your teeth. As for you sugar question, I have not tried using any other sugar so I'm unsure, but I think granulated sugar is coarser and therefore might affect the texture. I would give it a whizz in a coffee grinder, just in case! Hope that helps! Ania