Biscuit Science

As it is midterms and high-stress thesis time, I’m trying to cut back on sugar (I brought the carrot cake to work, FYI).  I made these cookies/biscuit/snack thingers for microlunch and other noshing purposes.

Carrot-Walnut Cookies

Modified from: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/3004

Makes 2-3 dozen

1 cup raw unsalted walnuts

1 cup rolled oats (I used quick-cooking since that’s what we had)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dates

water to cover

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 medium carrot, peeled

1 medium apple, cored and quartered

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1/4 cup agave nectar

In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, oats, raisins, and dates.  Pour water to cover these ingredients.  Set aside to soak for at least an hour.

Once the dried fruit, nuts, and oats have soaked for at least an hour, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and cinnamon.  In a food processor fitted with a shredding attachment, grate the carrot and apple.  

Transfer to the bowl with the flour.  

Pour off the excess soaking liquid from the dried fruit, nuts, and oats.  In the food processor fitted with a metal S-blade, process the dried fruit, nuts, and oats until the mixture is of uniform texture but not completely liquefied.  

Pour this mixture on top of the grated carrot and apple and flours.  Add the agave, grate in the ginger, and mix well.  With a tablespoon cookie scoop, dollop big scoops onto the cookie sheets.  Bake for 18-20 minutes until the cookies spring back when touched.  These are soft cookies.  Cool on the sheets for five minutes than transfer to a rack.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator once completely cool.

Now, see this here soaking liquid?  What do you think I did with it?

The date-raisin-walnut-oat blend smelled like beer.  Oatmeal stout, I suppose, but since I don’t drink, I’m not the best differentiator in these matters.

The soaking liquid did not taste sweet, as I had hoped, and I drank about half of it before deciding that it really was kind of gross and I didn’t need to finish it.

Springing forward,

Q