Well it happened. I invented my first vegan baked-goods recipe. Now these turned out fine, real fine, but I’m not sure they hold up to my idea of biscotti. Biscotti should be hard crunchy cookies that withstand a dunking in coffee. Their brittleness should instill faith that they will last forever in the pantry. (Why else did Romans take biscotti with them on their long road trips?) My biscotti tasted delicious and smelled amazing but they were a tad moist in the middle. I am still learning if this is due to their veganness, their state of being vegan. Too much coconut oil? No egg to help with binding? Something to work out in the future…

No one minded. In fact I had to fight off several guerrilla raids on my kitchen in order to take some photos. Many biscotti were lost in battle.

Ingredients
Makes about 20 mid-size biscotti
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbs smooth nut butter
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup soy (or almond) milk
1 3/4 cup white wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3 pieces dried mango, chopped finely
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup coconut cashews (or plain cashews)
1/3 cup vegan dark chocolate, chopped. Please, only quality chocolate. No Hershey’s or Nestle.

1. Melt the coconut oil and mix it with the sugar, nut butter and 1/4 cup (to start) of soy or almond milk.
2. Mix in the dry ingredients and add a little more soy milk, couple drops at a time, if needed. You’re looking for this to be the consistency of play-doh. But edible!
3. Knead in the nuts and chocolate. I used Trader Joe’s coconut cashews. They are scrummy! But plain cashews would work too.
4. Mold the dough into one large, flattened log if you want big biscotti or two smaller flattened logs. I prefer a smaller cookie myself.

5. Bake on a tray lined with baking parchment at 325F for about 30-40 minutes or until it is looking golden and toasted and pretty firm to the touch. The smell of that coconut oil is heavenly.

6. Take out the biscotti logs and let cool. Slice diagonally into biscotti-size cookies. If the cookie log is a little soft and crumbly (as mine was) cut very carefully and err a bit on the thick side.
7. Place the biscotti back in the baking tray. Turn the oven down to 275F and cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Get that coffee going! These are yummy!