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Tasty Treats

So, this is different. Inspired recently by other peoples creative successes like this and this, and by the inconvenience of having to keep searching my inbox for this recipe, I have decided to set it down here on this page, for safe keeping.

I took some photos too, because reading is for dummies! (Unfortunately, due to a number of contributing factors, they are photos from my phone which is never a good look, but the just deal with it, shut up and eat a delicious biscuit.)

The recipe itself has somewhat dubious origins and to preserve my dignity let me I assure you I would usually head to the reliable and beautiful places like Orangette or 101Cookbooks for quality recipes. Discovering this treat however was not part of my trying to find a quality biscuit recipe but was rather part of my finding something that could be made with no sugar, the taste of which a normal human would be able to stand and maybe even enjoy. This is what I would describe as a healthy biscuit alternative.

There is one note on the recipe which might be useful. 

Use whatever nuts or seeds you have for the dry ingredients. Basically you just need two cups of bulk to be held together with the eggs and flavoured by the spices. I began just using bought almond meal, then I only had almonds so I whizzed them up in the blender to make my own meal which was great because I had some big nutty chunks and some powdery meal). I added in the pumpkin and sunflower kernels because of the family tradition of hiding them in any kind of treat to add in some goodness. 

The coconut is pretty key though, it adds some texture and sweetness. If you don't use coconut the recipe could probably do with 1 and 1/2 tsp more of sweetener...maybe...but honestly I don't know because I have been making this recipe up each time I try it.

Enough of this. To the recipe.

Ingredients

150g cashew meal

50g almond meal

30g pumpkin kernels

20g sunflower kernels

30 g desiccated coconut

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

pinch of cloves (I only have whole ones so I grind some up in the mortar and pestle) 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup (plus a little for dusting) of natural sweetener like Stevia  (or sugar if you wish - maybe a touch more sugar because the sweeteners are a bit sweeter.)

2 smallish eggs

1/2 tsp of vanilla essence

Directions:

1. Heat up your oven to about 160 degrees C.

2. Mix your dry ingredients.

3. Mix your wet ingredients.

4. Mix your dry and wet ingredients together. I use a fork, but you can just go nuts and use whatever you want to mix it (nothing gross - remember, you probably plan to eat these).  Don't you worry if at first it looks like there won't be enough wet ingredients to stick it all together. Trust me, it will all spread around and everything will work out in the end. You should have a mixture which can roll into a ball but will sometimes crumble apart. It doesn't need to be too wet.

5. Line a baking tray with baking paper or if you hate the environment (or are guilt ridden but still to lazy to go up to the shops on a Saturday morning and get baking paper) you can use foil, and grease it up with a bit of oil - I used coconut for no reason. Use whatever you want - you are your own boss.

6. Use a dessert spoon to pick up enough of the mixer to roll into balls about 2/3rds of the size of a golf ball. 

7. Lay them out on your baking tray and push a fork into the top of each one. Really smush 'em. 

8. Sprinkle with some granulated sweetener or sugar and for decoration, add any other nutty-seedy goodness. I used chia seeds on some, pine nuts and shaved almonds on others. They don't do much for the flavour but they look quite smart.

9. Pop them in the oven for 10 - 15 mins (until they are golden) and then turn the heat off but let them sit in the oven for another 10 mins. 

10. Take them out and let them cool on a wire rack until almost completely cool (30 mins-ish). Don't taste them before they are cool. You will be disappointed.  They taste much better cool - and they crisp up.

So there you have it. Enjoy.

*My friend Lucie likes them with tea. So give that a go because she is a smart lady and very good a biscuit matching.

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