Instructions

Let the vegan butter come to room temperature.  In a small bowl, mix the water and flaxseed and let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens.

Heat your oven to 325℉.  Put the hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and roast the nuts for 8 minutes.  Take them out of the oven, let them cool slightly, then put them on a clean kitchen bowl.  Rub them lightly to remove the skins.  It’s okay if all of the skins don’t come off.  Roughly chop the nuts and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.

Increase your oven to 350℉.

Add the sugar and vanilla to the vegan butter, and mix well with a fork until the mixture is creamy.  Add the flaxseed mixture and mix again until completely blended.  Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  The dough will look shaggy.  Add the hazelnuts and mix again.  It may help to use your hands to form the dough into a ball.

Line your baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.  Put them on the baking sheet side by side, and use your hands to shape each half into a rectangle approximately 9” x 3” x ½”.  Don’t let the sides touch; you may have to position them starting at opposite diagonal corners of the baking sheet.  If the dough is too sticky, put it in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.

Bake the biscotti for 25 minutes.  Let them cool on a cutting board, then with a serrated knife, slice the biscotti crosswise into 1” thick slices.  Heat your oven to 325℉, put the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, and bake the biscotti for 12 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let the biscotti cool in the oven.

When the biscotti are cool enough to handle, melt the chocolate in a microwave or in the top of a double boiler.  Arrange the biscotti side to side on the parchment paper and use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over the biscotti.  Let the chocolate harden before storing the biscotti in an airtight container.

Notes: I find a silicone mat easier to work with than parchment paper because the mat doesn’t slide around on the baking sheet when you’re forming the biscotti.

Variations:

Almond Biscotti

Prepare as for hazelnut biscotti, but substitute raw almonds for hazelnuts.  Roast the almonds according to the hazelnut directions. The the skins won’t come off as readily as when using hazelnuts, but It’s okay to leave most of the almond skins on.  Substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract.  Another option is to use purchased sliced unsalted almonds in place of roasting the whole almonds.

Vanilla Biscotti

Omit the nuts, and the only extract to use is vanilla extract; use 2 teaspoons for a nice fragrance and vanilla taste.