Ahead of the release of his debut cookbook – More Plants Less Waste – later this year, zero waste chef and Eco-Age contributor Max La Manna shares his recipe for low-waste gluten free, fluffy biscuits.
Did you know? Last year, 10 million tonnes of household food was wasted in the UK alone, most of which could have been eaten or re-purposed but instead is likely to have ended up in landfill. With small daily changes, we can help put less food in the bin and more money back into our pockets.
Baking your own biscuits not only helps to eliminate plastic waste and packaging that shop-bought varieties come wrapped in, but you can also buy all of the ingredients at your local bulk food store in the exact quantities you need.
Here’s how to make your own fluffy gluten-free biscuits with minimal waste:
Makes 13
Freezer Friendly
Plastic Free
INGREDIENTS
- 160g potato starch (NOT potato flour)
- 140g almond flour
- 7g cornstarch (or try subbing arrowroot if you prefer to keep grain-free)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 12.5g organic cane sugar (if avoiding sugar, sub stevia to taste or omit)
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 56g vegan butter (plus more for topping)
- 120ml light coconut milk (canned, not carton)
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and set out a baking sheet. To a large mixing bowl, add potato starch (not flour), almond flour, cornstarch, sea salt, baking powder, cane sugar, and nutritional yeast (optional) and whisk to combine.
- Add butter and use a pastry cutter, whisk, or fork to “cut” the oil into the flour until small bits remain. (We tried using coconut oil and while it did work, vegan butter yields a much fluffier, more tender, flavourful biscuit).
- Add the light coconut milk to the dry mixture and gently stir with a spoon to combine. You’re looking for a semi-sticky dough and you may not use all of the coconut milk. If it looks too wet, compensate with 1-2 Tbsp at a time of almond flour or potato starch. Add more coconut milk if it is too crumbly.
- Transfer your dough onto a well (gluten-free) floured surface and dust the top with a little potato starch or almond flour. Handling as little as possible, form into a 1-inch-thick disc with your hands (these biscuits don’t puff up as much as their gluten-containing cousins, so only push the dough down as much as you desire them to be thick).
- Then, using a well-floured biscuit cutter, small cookie cutter, or narrow drinking glass, cut out biscuits and transfer carefully to a baking sheet with a spatula. Arrange the biscuits so they are close but not touching.
- Continue, reforming dough as needed, until all of the dough is used (as the recipe is written, about 12-14 small biscuits or 6-8 medium biscuits). Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted vegan butter (optional).
- Bake for 14-18 minutes or until they look dry and fluffy. Watch carefully and be sure not to burn. Remove biscuits from oven and let rest on pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a serving plate. Warm or room temperature is best for serving.
- Best when fresh. Store leftover biscuits covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven. These are especially delicious with a little butter and jam or compote!
Wondering how to make your own plant-based milk at home? Follow Max’s easy step by step guide.
Read our interview with Max about his journey to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Max’ debut cookbook More Plants Less Waste is released on August 22nd and is available to pre-order now, containing plant-based recipes and zero waste life hacks to help you eliminate plastic and food waste in your everyday life.