Even in Vegnaury, sometimes it’s just one of those afternoons and a biscuit is in order! Well with this delicious recipe you don’t have to miss out on the office tea round – sit back wth your cuppa and cookie and enjoy!
30 g raw cocoa beans (or nibs) or 30 g cocoa powder
100 g coconut oil
100 g Demerara sugar
60 ml plain soy milk
2 teaspoons coffee extract
1⁄4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
200 g unbleached spelt flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1⁄4 teaspoon bourbon vanilla powder
2 tablespoons ground almonds
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
chopped nuts, for sprinkling
For the icing
65 g Demerara sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons plain soy milk
1 teaspoon coffee extract
baking sheets, lined with parchment paper
Makes 25
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.
If using cocoa beans, grind them in a coffee or spice grinder to a fine powder.
If the coconut oil has solidified, put the jar in a bowl of hot water until the oil has softened. Whisk together the oil, sugar, milk, coffee extract and vinegar.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder, then stir in the flaxseeds, vanilla powder, ground almonds, salt and cinnamon. Tip into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix into a smooth dough with a spatula.
Divide the dough into 25 and roll into balls. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 cm apart. Gently flatten each ball with the back of a spoon, trying to avoid making cracks. Bake in the preheated oven for 9–10 minutes. Do not overbake them – they should still be a little soft. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
For the icing, it's better to finely grind the sugar in a coffee or spice grinder, but you can also try without grinding it. Mix the cornflour into the milk in a heatproof bowl. Add the coffee extract and sugar and mix. Set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water) and whisk well for a couple of minutes to allow the starch to thicken slightly over the steam. Remove from the heat, then allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Spoon some icing over each cold cookie and sprinkle chopped nuts over the top. Allow to set for at least 1 hour after which the icing shouldn't be sticky, but smooth and firm to the touch.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or, in the summer months, in the fridge. They will keep for up to 2 weeks.
This recipe is from The Vegan Baker by Dunja Gulin, Photography by Clare Winfield © Ryland Peters & Small