Espresso Chocolate, Hazelnut and Fennel Crackers

Irresistibly nutty and rich with the sweet depth of fennel, these chocolate flaxseed crackers are decadent, wholesome and delicious. While we particularly love the marriage of hazelnuts and fennel seed, feel free to experiment with the combination of other nuts and seeds—almond meal with sesame seeds or pistachio meal with cardamom would both be particularly delicious combinations. 

½ cup flax seeds 

1 teaspoon maple syrup 

1 teaspoon hazelnut oil

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons hazelnut meal 

2 tablespoons fennel seeds 

½ teaspoon fine sea salt 

A small pinch calabrian chili powder or cayenne pepper 

Fennel pollen, to sprinkle 

3-4 oz Fine & Raw Espresso Chocolate, broken into small pieces 

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. 

Add the flax seeds, maple syrup and hazelnut oil to a large mixing bowl. Pour over ½ cup of boiling water, and set aside until the flax seeds gel - about 5 minutes. When the flax seeds have formed a thick, glossy, gel-like consistency, fold in the hazelnut meal, fennel seeds, sea salt, and calabrian chili powder. Use a nonstick spatula to thoroughly incorporate the dry ingredients. 

Transfer the mixture to the sheet tray. Using an offset spatula, slowly but surely spread the mixture as thinly as you can, being careful to avoid cracks. The thinner you can spread the mixture, the crispier your crackers will be. 

Bake for 35-45 minutes, peaking every once in a while to make sure they’re not taking on too much color, until the crackers are deeply golden and the kitchen smells irresistibly toasty. 

Remove the crackers from the oven, turn the oven off, and evenly distribute the chocolate pieces on top of the cracker. Return the sheet tray to the oven for another minute or two, allowing the residual heat to help melt the chocolate. Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate as evenly as you can to cover the surface area of the cracker. Generously sprinkle with fennel pollen.  

As soon as the crackers are cool enough to handle, transfer them to a wire rack to cool fully. Once they have cooled, you can break the crackers into pieces. They will store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.