Fig Coconut Teacakes

I’ve had some dried figs for quite some time, and was tossing around recipe ideas for how to use them. I used to love fig cookies, and planned on making a gluten-free version, but alas I took the lazy route and made a cupcake. I’m calling these beauties “teacakes” because they go perfectly with tea (or coffee). They are just very subtly sweet, and have a nice light crumb, warm vanilla coconut flavor, and the bite of sweet fig really makes them special.

Fig Coconut Teacakes
(gluten-free, soy-free, vegan)
yield 24 cupcakes

3/4 cup sweet sorghum flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon flax meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or natural cane sugar)

1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut milk yogurt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon zest from a fresh organic lemon
1 teaspoon alcohol-free pure vanilla extract

1 cup shredded coconut (I used sweetened coconut from Trader Joe’s)

9 ounces dried figs, stems removed and chopped
juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or natural cane sugar)

Glaze (optional):
1/4 cup organic raw agave nectar
1/2 tablespoons organic corn starch
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or soy-free earth balance margarine)
(For the glaze: whisk together the agave, cornstarch and coconut oil until smooth).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Line two muffin tins with paper liners (or grease tins), set aside. Place chopped figs in a saucepan with the lemon juice, coconut milk and sugar. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pulse in a food processor. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flours (sorghum, brown rice, almond, potato and flax); add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and sift well. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut milk, coconut yogurt, apple cider vinegar, lemon zest and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and slowly pour and gently incorporate the wet ingredients. When the mixture starts to come together, add the shredded coconut; mix gently until it just comes together.
Half-way fill the cupcake liners with batter, then using a teaspoon, dollop the fig mixture in the center of the batter. Bake 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the muffin tins for at least 10 minutes, and then transfer to a baking rack to cool longer.

When ready to serve, top with a drizzle of glaze (if using), and more shredded coconut and sliced almonds to garnish.

Cherry Almond Biscotti

I love biscotti (see other biscotti post here to prove this love). To me, they are the perfect cookie, breakfast and dessert all-in-one. The best way to have them is in the morning, dunked in a cup of hot coffee. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of making biscotti; they are easy to make, and really nice to have on hand.

These biscotti are of the cherry almond variety, with a handful of shredded coconut for good measure. The coconut is subtle, but adds a really lovely flavor. I used a good amount of almond flour in these, which adds a great texture as well as a nice healthy dose of protein. If you can’t find almond flour, take almonds and wizz them around in the food processor until they are finely chopped like flour, but not for too long or you’ll end up with almond butter.

Cherry Almond Biscotti
makes 14-16 biscotti cookies

1 1/2 cup unbleached cake flour (I used King Arthur unbleached cake flour)
2-3 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup non-gmo canola oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw, sliced almonds

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit and line a large baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, use a wire whisk to beat together the sugar, oil, almond milk, extracts, and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients: flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Very gently fold in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. When the dough just starts to come together, add the cherries, sliced almonds and coconut and fold into the dough. Form the dough  into a long rectangle (log)and pat it down very lightly with clean, damp hands. Bake it for 30 minutes. The dough should be slightly puffed up, with a few little cracks in it. Turn off the oven, remove from oven and let cool for about one hour. Then, preheat the oven again to 325 degrees Farenheit. Carefully slice the baked dough into long slices about 1/2 inch to an inch thick. No need to turn these on their sides, as they will be fragile, but if you can slide them apart a little with the knife you used to cut them with so they have some room to get crisp. Bake for another 30 minutes until crisp. Allow the biscotti to cool for a half hour.

These biscotti have a really lovely flavor profile. The almond, cherry and coconut marry nicely. They would also taste good with a drizzle of chocolate over them. Or serve them with hot chocolate instead of coffee! It’s my opinion that biscotti make a beautiful gift, so why not make these as a Valentines Day gift? Wrap them up in red ribbon and you’re all set.