Chocolate - Drizzled Almond Oat Shortbread Bars

Let's talk about how delicate and pretty these are. Something between shortbread and a biscotti, they're flaky, crumbly and have little notes of nutmeg and fennel. Really perfect with a coffee or your favorite hot tea, for breakfast or a snack that isn't too sweet. It's really the dark chocolate drizzle that makes it seem like a dessert. My favorite baking sweetener is always coconut sugar. I like using maple syrup in things that are raw. You can easily make your own oat flour at home by grinding whole oats in a food processor or even in a coffee bean grinder if that's all you have. You can find gluten free oats in health food stores by carefully reading the label. Other than that, I used almond flour and the combination of these two makes a beautiful texture and keeps it gluten free. I used a good, organic butter and have not tried this with coconut oil. I don't have a pastry bag so I found that spooning the warm chocolate into the corner of a heavy duty quart bag works just as well. You just twist the top of the bag and clip the very tip of one corner and it is easy to control your fancy drizzle. I always say that a pretty zig zag makes anything feel just a little fancier.

INGREDIENTS
1 1|2 c old-fashioned rolled oats plus extra for garnish
3|4 c almond flour
1|2 c unsalted butter at room temperature
1|2 c coconut sugar plus extra for garnish
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1|4 t sea salt
1|2 t freshly grated nutmeg
1|2 t ground fennel or fennel pollen
2 1|2 ounces dark chocolate (72% or higher)
Flaked sea salt , such as Maldon, or coarse grind pink Himalayan salt for garnish

DIRECTIONS
In a food processor, pulse the oats to create a coarse flour, allowing a big of texture. Set aside. Still using the processor, cream the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg. Add the oat flour back in, the almond flour, salt and spices. Combine everything and scrape the sides down at least once.

Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. In a line from side to side, sprinkle some of the reserved whole oats and a sprinkle of sugar to create a crust. Turn the dough out into the middle of the paper. It will be fairly tacky. Using the parchment, roll the dough into a log about 3 inches in diameter. Wrap it up in the parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Working quickly, slice the log into 1|2 inch coins and lay them about 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges just begin to brown, 14-16 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a wire cooling rack.

Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl set over a double boiler at medium low. Transfer to a plastic bag and create your zig zag pattern. Sprinkle with flaked Himalayan salt and let them cool for 20 minutes.  This recipe was adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook.  ENJOY!!