(This dessert was nick-named "More" by an omnivore friend because that's what she wanted - more.)
First make the Biscotti (or find your favorite Vegan biscotti and crush them to save this step...however, these are tasty.)
Almond Biscotti
Preheat oven 350 makes 16-24 biscotti depending on size etc.
2 Cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup applesauce
3 TBSP coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 Cup chopped, toasted almonds (chop and then place in 350 oven for approx 10 minutes)
Combine sugar, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla and almond extract. Add salt, baking powder, mix well. Add flour and incorporate. Add the toasted almonds.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Form two long loafs with the batter (like small bread loaf size). To make it easier (Oh She Glows, thanks for the tip) to cut your biscotti after baking, score the loaves. Cut through the dough every half inch or so.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Turn oven down to 300 and cool your biscotti dough for 15 minutes. Slice along the hash marks you cut into the dough and lay the biscotti on their sides. Bake at 300 for 12 minutes. Remove and turn the biscotti. Bake another 12 then shut oven off but leave the cookies in the oven until they cool. Enjoy the batch but save 5-6 smaller biscotti to crush and mix with your remaining crust to top your galette.
Crust: (This is not a roll out crust, it's a press in the pan one, you can sub out a favorite crust recipe if you'd like).
3/4 cup coconut oil
3 c flour (plus 1 TBSP)
4 Tablespoons coconut milk
1 tsp salt
4 Tablespoons sugar
Mix all dry ingredients, working coconut oil into dry until mixture is uniform. Add liquid then mix with a fork just until it comes together.
Press crust dough into pie pan. (reserve some crust for crumbles on top, 3/4 cup or so.) And sprinkle a TBSP of flour into bottom of crust. Or make 10-12 individual ramekins (depending on their size).
Filling:
(Individually/ramekins you will use approximately a heaping half cup of diced pears and 1/3 cup of caramel).
Peel and slice approximately 5-6 pears to get 3-4 cups of fruit (depending on how big your pie plate is and how heapy you like your pies). Place in a bowl and sprinkle just a bit of sugar over them. (I did make another one of these using apples. I don't know if pears are a drier fruit or I had extra juicy apples but my pie turned out a little wet when I used apples. So if you want to make that substitution try really draining the bowl of fruit before adding to the caramel or adding another TBSP of flour over the fruit and under the topping)
Maple Caramel Sauce:
1 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup maple syrup
3/4 Cup coconut oil
1/2 Cup non-dairy milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a saucepan melt coconut oil then add brown sugar and maple syrup. Combine and cook until mixture melts and begins to bubble. Add milk, stirring constantly bring to a low rolling boil. Boil I minute. Remove from heat and add the cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Stir well.
Add the pears to the crust and pour caramel over them. Crumble remaining crust dough mixed with 5 of the biscotti crushed into chunks over the top. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 for 45-55 mins. If you are using ramekins 25 minutes or so should do it.
