Rich Hot Chocolate With Gingerbread Chestnut Biscotti

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenRich Hot Chocolate With Gingerbread Chestnut Biscotti

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	10 minutes	Total Time	50 minutes
Servings	10	Cost Per Serving	$1.05

6 cups	Milk (or dairy free alternative)
1/4 cup	Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup	70% Dark Chocoalte, roughly chopped
3	Large Dates, pitted

Gingerbread Chestnut Biscotti

2 1/2 cups	Red Fife Flour (any flour will work)
1 cup	Cooked Chestnuts, roughly chopped
2 tsp	Baking Powder
1/2 cup	Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar
2 tsp each	Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar
2 tbsp	Fresh Ginger, grated
3 tbsp	Molasses
2	Eggs

Preheat to 350 degrees F
For the biscotti start by combining your flour, chestnuts, baking powder, sugar and ground ginger and cinnamon in a food processor, pulse until the chestnuts are broken down.
Combine the wet ingredients in a different bowl, and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Roll the dough onto a floured surface and knead with your hands just until combined
Press dough down onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll the dough out until it is a rectangular sheet about 2 inches high. Bake for about 25 minutes
Remove from oven and reduce the heat to 300 F. When the biscotti slab is cool enough to handle, slice into 1 inch wide pieces.
Return to the oven for about another 10 minutes or until golden brown.
For the hot chocolate, add the milk and dates to a sauce pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in your cocoa powder and chocolate and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour in mugs and serve with biscotti

PDF link to nutrition facts table for rich hot chocolate with gingerbread chestnut biscotti

Cocoa contains flavanols, antioxidants that may help protect the heart and blood vessels. They make blood platelets less likely to clot, which may lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
When choosing a chocolate bar, go for 70% dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more flavanols than milk chocolate because it’s made with more cocoa. Read the ingredients to make sure cocoa butter is the main type of fat rather than ones that have partially-hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils on the label.
Gingerbread is a low fat cookie that is rich in iron thanks to the molasses in the recipe. Iron is needed for red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. Not having enough iron in your diet can lead to iron-deficiency anemia, which can leave you feeling weak and tired.
Ginger contains gingerol, a compound that may help improve appetite and digestion and prevent nausea.