Afghans

Who doesn't love an Afghan biscuit?

If you hadn't already noticed, I'm working my way through some of the NZ classic biscuits from the Edmonds Cookbook and this was a fun one to tinker with and gave a beautiful result!

Grain-free and refined sugar-free, these biscuits don't contain the usual cornflakes, flour, and sugar that the original recipe calls for, but give the same decadent satisfaction and are a real crowd pleaser. Plus they're so pretty and not as complicated as they appear!

Makes: 12 biscuits

Bake: 8 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Biscuit

• 2 cups almond meal
• 1 Tbsp coconut flour
• 1 Tbsp tapioca flour
• 3 heaped Tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• pinch of Himalayan sea salt
• 2 Tbsp butter (or coconut oil if dairy free)
• 1/2 cup rice malt syrup
• 1 Tbsp cashew butter (or almond butter)

Icing

• 100g dark chocolate (I use 70% Lindt chocolate)
• 1 Tbsp coconut cream
• 12 walnut halves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper

2. In a large bowl combine almond meal, coconut flour, cacao, tapioca, baking powder, and salt.

3. Melt the butter, cashew butter and rice malt syrup in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, or in a pot over an oven element. 

4. Pour melted wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine.

5. Make 3x3cm balls with the mixture and place on baking tray. You should get 12 balls. Use a fork to flatten the top of the ball slightly.

6. Bake for 8 minutes. Once cooked, place on a cooling tray to cool.

7. Over a double boiler (or a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water) melt chocolate and then mix in the coconut cream. Once melted, place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until slightly cooled and a consistency you'd be able to spread on your biscuits.

8. Use a teaspoon and top each biscuit with a generous dollop of icing, then top with a walnut half.

Biscuits will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days (if they last that long in your household!)