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LIGHT & LOCAL |
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Presidents Day is around the corner and I can still recall my earliest thoughts on the story of President George Washington and how he chopped the down the cherry tree. What a great story about telling the truth. It sure made an impression on me. I always wondered if Washington's mother rewarded his honesty with a cherry pie or a cherry dessert. Do you think they knew about biscotti? Why not make a healthier reward for your honest kid, and make cherry-almond biscotti? It's a great milk dipper for a child and coffee dipper for the cook.
In the following recipe, I used coconut oil instead of canola oil or olive oil. Why? Contrary to what some of you think, coconut oil is not bad for you. I know it is a saturated fat, but not all saturated fat is bad, and also, our body needs it. Coconut is free of cholesterol and contains a medium chain of good fats, with 50 to 55 percent lauric acid. Lauric acid is a healthier nutrient that supports metabolism.
You can find organic coconut oil at any health food store. I found mine at Kale's in Hawai'i Kai. Some Star stores also carry coconut oil. Organic coconut oil is cold pressed and unrefined. It is free from pesticides, GMOs and hexane. It is versatile and great for dishes requiring high heat — a wonderful substitute for butter. Try it on bread, vegetables, popcorn. I like to fry my eggs in it. The coconut flavor brings on a new and tropical dimension. In the following recipe, you just get a hint of coconut, which complements the cherries and the almonds. Happy Presidents Day!
CHERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt. In a medium mixing bowl, combine agave, eggs, oil, orange zest and vanilla, and mix well. To this, add the flour mixture half a cup at a time until mixture forms a dough. Stir in the cherries, almonds and chocolate. Flour a cutting board and your hands and knead the dough 3 times. Form a log about 10 inches long by 3 inches wide. Place the log on the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the log diagonally, into 1/2 inch slices. Place on the baking sheet, cut side down,and bake for and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake until golden brown and dry in the middle. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. These biscotti keep for one week.
Makes 12 servings.
Want a local recipe lightened up? Write Light & Local, Taste Section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or taste@honoluluadvertiser.com. Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine" (Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.
