Wishing you happy Easter holidays! As I type, the sunshine is streaming through our Dorset cottage window, the birds are going bonkers, the tulips are nodding and all is well in our little corner of the West Country. Alas, after checking the weather forecast, it looks like the Easter holidays might be a bit on the blustery side.

Our modest sized cottage + 2 boisterous young boys + wet weather = ‘We have a problem Houston’!

With the highly anticipated Easter egg hunt done and dusted there is an undeniable sense of anti-climax and restlessness amongst the ranks chez Honeybuns...

How can I keep my kids occupied on a wet day in the holidays? I ask myself

Answer: Bribe the little scamps

Persuading them to help out in the kitchen with the promise of (sweet) food usually works a treat. We’ve adapted our gluten free chocolate biscotti recipe for you to try out at home. Kids will need to focus a little bit on this baking project as there are a couple of steps to it. They’ll love getting messy with the chocolate drizzle at the end.

Dark chocolate is a little sophisticated so feel free to substitute a dairy free milk chocolate alternative.

Chocolate and Cherry Biscotti

MAKES 16-18 Biscotti

FREE FROM Gluten, dairy and nuts

TOP TIP If cherries don’t delight then try apricots, raisins, cranberries-..any dried fruit they fancy will work well.

To make your chocolate and cherry Biscotti you will need the following gluten free ingredients:

• 3 free range eggs, beaten
• 125g dairy free dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
• 250g polenta, plus extra for dusting
• 250g sugar (coconut, Demerara, light brown and white granulated sugars will all work fine)
• 125g glace cherries, chopped (or your fruit of choice)
• 3 tbsp gluten and dairy free cocoa powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Topping

• 75g dairy free dark chocolate

How to make your free from Biscotti

• Preheat the oven to 170°C / Gas 3.
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Tip: Check the baking sheet will fit in your fridge.
• Add all of the biscotti ingredients into a bowl and ask your children to mix everything together with a wooden spoon, until a dough is formed.
• If you need to finish things off (as I seem to always end up doing) then a hand held electric mixer speeds things up.
• Dust all hands and a work surface with polenta and divide the dough in half. Hand roll each bit of dough into a log shape. Think of a Cadburys mini roll as a guide. Place your biscotti logs on the baking sheet, spaced apart.
• Place the loaded baking sheet in the fridge to chill for ½ hour. Time for a break.
• OK. Now transfer the baking sheet of logs from the fridge to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting each log width ways into 1cm slices. Hmmmmm-. they will need to concentrate on this bit or get mummy or daddy to do it.

• Lay the slices out on the lined baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes before turning them and baking them for a final 6 minutes.
• Take them out of the oven and leave on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool.
• For the topping, place the chocolate in a microwaveable bowl and melt in the microwave for 30 second bursts on a medium power. Stir the chocolate and repeat, it should take approximately 1 minute.
• Then, using a metal spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the cooled biscotti.
• Feel free to melt and drizzle more chocolate on top.

STORAGE: These gorgeous free from Biscotti keep in an airtight container for 5 days. Can be frozen as can the raw dough.

Best Biscotti hacks ever

• Kids love sprinkles almost as much as the Easter bunny. There are lots of fun gluten free sprinkles, stars and glitter balls available now. Supermarkets often do their own brands. Whilst the chocolate topping is still soft- go crazy and stick it all on there.
• Hot chocolate is our family’s go-to rainy day treat and these Biscotti were born to be dunked in them! Once dipped in your beverage, these gluten free baked beauties soften, like a gooey chocolate brownie. Delish.
• For a delicious dairy free hot chocolate recipe check out our blog here.
• If you after more lovely free from recipes including lots of vegan ideas to bake over the holidays do check out our two gluten free baking books.
• If you’d rather be snuggled up on the sofa with the Net of the Flix then let us take the strain and buy your sustainable chocolate treats from gluten free brownies to plant based millionaires shortbreads here.  

This recipe was adapted from ‘Chocolate, Orange & Cardamom Biscotti’ from our Honeybuns All Day Cook Book, published by Honeybee Books, available to buy from our online shop and all good book sellers.

Happy Holidays

Em x

Another great recipe to make with children over the Easter holidays is this quick, healthy chocolate truffle recipe.

If you’re looking for a non-chocolatey option, these no-fuss gluten free Raspberry Buns are a one bowl wonder.

We also love Glutarama for wonderful baking hacks, tips and pictures.

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