Date Walnut Biscotti

Dry, crunchy, nutty without being too sweet; these keep well enough to go backpacking

Sheets lightly greased Oven 300 -->250 degrees F Time 55 minutes total baking time

1/4 C butter
1/4 C oil
1/2 C sugar

1/2 C molasses
4 eggs
1/2 C buttermilk

Mill together:
    125 g rice
    175 g oats
    300 g soft wheat

    1/2 stick cinnamon
    10 cloves
    1/2 inch of vanilla bean**

1 t soda
1 t salt
2 C finely chopped dates
1 C toasted walnuts, finely chopped

Cream together butter, oil and sugar. When smooth, beat in molasses, eggs and buttermilk.

Combine the flour/spices, soda, salt, dates and walnuts. Stir together to coat the dates with flour so they won't clump.

Mix the dry into the wet ingredients.   Scoop about a sixth of the dough onto cookie sheet. With wet hands, shape into a loaf 2 or three inches wide, 1 inch high, and however many inches long will fit. I find it works best if I plan to fit four or five loaves side by side, leaving at least one inch between them, across a jelly roll pan.

Shape the rest of the dough. Bake for about 25 minutes at 300°. Turn the oven heat down to 250°.

Remove the pans from the oven. Very carefully, slide the baked loaves off the sheet onto a cutting board.   Using a sharp knife, cut the loaves into 3/4" slices. Set the slices, cut side down, back onto the baking sheet (pack them all in tightly--no expansion room required this time).

Return the cookies to the oven for about 30 minutes. When they come out, they should be firm but not rock hard. They'll firm up as they cool. These should be crunchy outside, crumbly and almost soft inside.
Makes 6 dozen cookies @ 87calories:
        37% fat       55% carbos            8% protein

*Substitute 4C unbleached or whole wheat pastry flour OR 3C unbleached or whole wheat pastry flour PLUS 1C rice flour and for the spices, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cloves, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

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