Baci Di Dama (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

These dear little hazelnut & chocolate biscuits have become one of my (few) end of year, must-make recipes. Perfect with a cup of tea, as an after dinner offering or present to friends, they are something very special. So buttery & delicate, they just melt (or more accurately dissolve) in your mouth! Impossible not to like and for a sandwich biscuit - impossible to stuff up!

This recipe was crafted with the help of The Gluten Free Alchemist and The Loopy Whisk's cookbook recipe.

These are the flours I used...

INGREDIENTS

• 120g roasted & de-skinned hazelnuts
• 90g glutinous rice flour
• 70g fine rice flour
• 100g castor sugar
• pinch salt
• 120g non-dairy butter (I used nuttelex)
• 40g vegan 70% dark chocolate, melted

METHOD

1. Blitz the hazelnuts in a food processor for 10 seconds into a fine sand. Add the flours, sugar & salt and blitz again to combine, scraping down the sides with a spatula if required.
2. Add the vegan butter and blend until the mixture forms a ball, scraping down the sides as necessary. If the mixture doesn't form a ball, just ensure it's well mixed and the mixture holds together when pinched.
3. Wrap the dough in glad-wrap or baking paper and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
5. Roll the dough into Malteser-sized little balls and place on the baking tray with an inch in-between (they don't spread, it's more for even baking). The dough might require a little manipulation if your balls aren't forming easily (to warm up the butter). Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, switching the trays at the 10 minute mark.
6. While the biscuits cool completely to room temperature (about 45 minutes), melt your dark chocolate and let it cool slightly.
7. Sandwich the room temperature cookies together by spreading a little melted dark chocolate onto the bottom of one and pressing another firmly against it. Repeat to sandwich all the cookies. Refrigerate to fully set and store either in the fridge or at room temperature (depending on your climate) in an air-tight container. Eat within 10 days.