Possibly two of my favourite words – and who’d have thought that ‘chocolate’ and ‘biscotti’ would be synonymous with a healthy cookie?

Chocolate, rich in flavonoids, contributes to a healthy heart, along with increasing our serotonin levels – our ‘feel good’ factor. This recipe includes unsweetened cocoa powder, which means no added refined sugar.

Biscotti simply means ‘twice-baked’, allowing for a very crunchy texture, without having to use too much added fat.

Rather than using margarine or butter, this recipe calls for coconut oil, which brings a subtle sweet flavour. Coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat, which helps protect against heart disease, contrary to previous belief. Nuts, especially hazelnuts, work really well in this recipe, but to keep the biscotti kid-friendly (nut-free) for parties, I used unsweetened cranberries instead. These add a nice chewy texture for a change, which complements the overall crunchiness of the cookie.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups wholewheat flour
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ baking powder
• ½ ground cinnamon
• ¼ sea salt
• ½ cup raw unrefined sugar
• ¼ cup raw unrefined coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cranberries

Instructions

• Combine first five ingredients in one bowl.
• Mix sugar and coconut oil in another. Beat in eggs.
• Add in flour mixture until combined.
• Fold in cranberries.
• Shape mixture on lightly floured surface into two 10-inch flattened logs.
• Transfer to baking sheet on tray, and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• Let cool on wire rack, then cut each log into biscotti slices.
• Transfer back to baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes, turn over, bake for another 10 mintutes.
• Enjoy once cooled, and store in airtight container.

As with all recipes, it’s great to make your own substitutions to suit tastes, along with any food intolerances. With their rich chocolate flavour, these make great party or gift items – you now simply need to learn the creative art of gift wrapping!

Visit the Health & Vitality page to find out more about Liza's business.

_{This article was originally published on Health and Vitality blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.} 

_{Edited by Nedda Chaplin}

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