This is a gift to you – a celebration of sunshine, the hint of spring approaching, the lingering scent of jasmine and just the gratefulness of life.
Kristin made these while she was here attending another magical retreat with our teachers. She made them to send back with a friend, who was returning to India. They were discovered in a book called, “The Healthy Hedonist” by Myra Kornfield. I wasn’t sure whether to call them biscotti, as I changed the recipe a little and choose not to bake them a second time. They were so tasty and perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside with just first baking, that it seemed a shame to meddle in that perfection.
sesame lemon biscotti
Makes about 24 cookies
ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup hulled tahini
½ cup maple syrup
grated zest from 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch rock salt
½ cup ground almonds
1 cup Spelt flour (I used half white and half whole)
¼ cup sesame seeds
preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, tahini, maple syrup, lemon zest, vanilla and salt until emulsified.
3. Using a spoon or a rubber spatula, stir in the flour and the almonds until the dough is moistened and well combined – allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes.
4. Spread the sesame seeds on a plate. Divide the dough in half and using your hands, shape into a sort of long sausage. The dough will be oily, but not sticky. Place onto the plate with the sesame seeds and sprinkle the seeds on top.
5. Using a knife, cut into 1 cm slices rolling the sides just lightly in the sesame seeds. Don’t worry about how they look as they shape up beautifully when baked. As you cut, place onto the baking sheet, leaving 2-inches between each biscuit. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
6. Bake until the top is starting to brown, 15 – 20 minutes. Rotating the trays halfway through baking.
This makes a biscuit which is crunchy on the outside and soft in the centre. If you would like them to be more traditionally biscotti, allow to cool after the first baking, and bake for a further 15 minutes.
Goodness shared from Stacey & Donna
