The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of the Wild Blueberry Association of North America.
Hello and happy Friday! I hope you’re in the mood to do some baking this weekend, because I have a tasty new recipe to share: Wild Blueberry Biscotti!
There’s just something awesome about a piece of biscotti with your morning (or afternoon…) latte, isn’t there? I made biscotti for the first time last winter, and well, it’s that time again. Biscotti for all!
My previous biscotti adventures include my Whole Wheat Pumpkin Goji Biscotti and my vegan Vanilla Almond Biscotti. This time around, I decided it would be fun to create a blueberry variation. But not just any blueberries – wild blueberries!
Did you know that not all blueberries are created equal? Wild blueberries, as opposed to regular blueberries you normally find in the produce section, have a more intense blueberry flavor, double the antioxidants, and a deeper blue pigment, too. This is because of the harsh climate and thin glacial soils that they naturally grow in in Maine, Eastern Canada, and Quebec. They’re also smaller than normal blueberries, and contain less water, which makes them great for freezing and baking. I found two varieties of frozen wild blueberries at my local Whole Foods – both the store brand and also the Wyman’s brand you see below, which I used for this recipe. Just look for “wild blueberries” on the label; here’s a link to more information about where to find them.
Most wild blueberries are frozen at harvest, locking in their intense blueberry flavor and antioxidant power; frozen wild blueberries are just as nutritious as fresh and may even retain their nutritional value longer. Plus, they’re available year round and you can use them right out of the freezer – no thawing required!
This recipe was actually almost a huge fail. With my other biscotti recipes, the batter was firm enough to form into a loaf shape to bake on a baking tray. These? Not so much. I put the batter onto a baking sheet and oops – out it spread. I improvised by putting them in a brownie pan instead for the first round of baking. Crisis averted!
After they baked for awhile (see full recipe below) and were firm enough, I let them cool and then sliced them into biscotti pieces. Back into the oven they go!
A little while later and they were ready to be dunked in my latte!
To amp up the nutrition of these biscotti, I used whole wheat pastry flour (not regular whole wheat flour – that would make these too dense), decreased the amount of sugar that would normally be in biscotti, and added some ground flaxseed for some healthy fat and extra fiber. Plus, of course, the antioxidant-packed wild blueberries! They added a nice burst of flavor to each bite.
Here’s the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Wild Blueberry Biscotti
by
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients (makes 16 to 20 biscotti)
- 3 C whole wheat pastry flour (not normal whole wheat flour)
- 3/4 C sugar
- 1/2 C ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1/2 C milk (I used 2%)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted in microwave
- 1/2 C frozen wild blueberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, then add remaining wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing until somewhat uniform.
Coat a brownie-sized baking pan with cooking spray; pour in batter.
Bake until center is firm (about 20 to 25 minutes); remove from oven and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
Once cool, slice into 1-inch thick cookies; bake 15 to 20 additional minutes at 300 degrees.
If you’re interested in learning more about the health benefits of and ways to use Wild Blueberries (I’ve also been loving them in my morning Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal), check out the Wild Blueberry Association website. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Are you a biscotti fan? What’s your favorite kind?
Wild Blueberry Biscotti Recipe originally appeared on fANNEtastic food on December 6, 2013.
The post Wild Blueberry Biscotti Recipe appeared first on fANNEtastic food.