A Cookie With Heart
Family gatherings and decadent foods are the imprints left from the recent end of year holidays, and the inspiration for this herbal cookie creation. Evoking memories of Linze Torte, the traditional holiday pastry that originates from Linze in Austria, I wanted to keep the nutty crunch and the jammy center but make sure it was a healthier version that would fit well into the rigours of New Year diets for all those who want a guilt free confection.
Hibiscus Hawthorn Thumprint
Hibiscus and Hawthorn are both rich in flavenoids and blood red in color, giving a clue to some of these plant's medicinal magic. Both are considered tonic herbs for the heart and blood. Hawthorn berries relax blood vessels and have been used traditionally to improve cardiac circulation, reducing palpitations, arrhythmia and mildly lowering blood pressure.*
They are rich in pectin, cooling in quality and make great syrups, ketchups, and jams.Hibiscus is also cooling and known as a refrigerant herb, often featuring in summer drinks and jellos. Its tart flavor is part of its charm. Medicinally, it helps lower blood pressure, reduces inflammation, and lowers tryglycerides in those with diabetes.*
There is also one other plant medicine in the recipe that deserves a mention...Kudzu. Known as the vine that ate the South, its an invasive that has lots to offer medicinally. Used for arthritis, muscle spasms, gastritis and neck pain. It can be used in place of arowroot, as a thickener.
Note: *Check contra indications against any medications, if using as part of a regular health protocol.So, now I have introduced the herbs, let's get started with the recipe....
Hibiscus Hawthorn Cookie With Quince Jam
30g walnuts
20g cassava flour½ teaspoon ground chia seeds½ teaspoon kudzu root (grind in a coffee grinder)
2 1/2 teaspoons of coconut oil
2 teaspoons of water½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoon of powdered hibiscus (grind in a coffee grinder)½ teaspoon of powdered hawthorn (best to buy this pre ground)**
¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Quince Jam
1 quince
1/3 cup of sugar
½ a juiced lemon
3/4 cup of filtered water
Method:
Soak the walnuts overnight and dry them in the oven on the lowest light possible until crisp. This may take several hours and is best achieved with a dehydrator. (Soaking the nuts before use aids digestibility as it helps to reduce the phytic acid).
Using a coffee grinder, grind the nuts, seeds and herbs one by one, for all except the hawthorn berries. Hawthorn berries have a large seed in their center, and the coffee grinder may struggle breaking this down into fine enough particles for the cookie dough.
Once all the herbs are ground, blend together with the flour, salt, oil and water. The dough is crumbly, so press it together and then, roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/4" thick, before cutting out circles, with your favorite cookie cutter.Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until crisp for 20 minutes on 350 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Quince Jam Topping:
Quince is a fruit that you can find in late Fall to early winter, (depending on the climate). While the fruit looks like a pear, its flesh is tougher to work with and it can take a while to soften with poaching. Its so worth it, if you have the time, as the resulting fragrant condiment elevates the taste of the whole cookie.
Juice half a lemon and add to a pan filled with 1/2 cup of filtered water. Once the quince is peeled and cored, roughly chop the fruit and add to the acidulated water to prevent the quince from browning as its flesh oxidizes. Add the sugar and cover with parchment paper, before covering with a lid and allowing to simmer on a low light for about an hour. (Make sure there's enough water so that the poaching quince does not burn. The parchment paper helps to keep the fruit submerged).
As the fruit begins to break down, the poaching fruit will morph into a red bubbling syrup. Mash the fruit and when the pureed fruit starts to resemble jam, remove from the heat.Now is when you can paint a blob of the jam in the center of the cookies and start eating!Note: If you don't have quince jam, raspberry or apricot jam will make a good substitute, but the quince is other worldly.
Enjoy!
