### Vegan Chocolate Fennel Cookies
This plant-based version of Aran Goyoaga’s classic chocolate fennel cookie recipe provides a charming variation on conventional baking. By replacing eggs with aquafaba and butter with coconut oil, these cookies retain their rich taste and texture while being entirely vegan. Here’s how to create them.
#### Ingredients
– 6 tablespoons aquafaba (whipped)
– 7 ounces (200 g) dark chocolate (dairy-free)
– 1/4 cup coconut oil
– 1/4 cup almond butter
– 3/4 cup brown sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 cup buckwheat flour
– 1/4 cup cocoa powder
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1 ounce (25 g) dark chocolate (dairy-free), for topping
– 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
#### Instructions
1. **Preheat the Oven**: Set your oven at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. **Prepare Fennel Seeds**: Use a mortar and pestle or a clean coffee grinder to crush the fennel seeds into a fine powder.
3. **Melt Chocolate Mixture**: In a medium saucepan, fill it one-quarter full with water and heat it to a simmer over medium-high heat. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the crushed fennel, 7 ounces of dark chocolate, coconut oil, and almond butter. Position this bowl over the simmering water and stir until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat to allow residual heat to complete the melting process.
4. **Mix Aquafaba and Sugar**: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the whipped aquafaba, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip on high speed until the mixture becomes pale and very thick, approximately 5 minutes. Then, incorporate the melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until thickened, around 1 minute.
5. **Combine Dry Ingredients**: In a small bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Carefully fold this dry blend into the wet batter with a spatula.
6. **Shape Cookies**: Drop 1½-tablespoon scoops of dough onto each lined baking sheet, ensuring about 2 inches of space between each scoop. Press small chunks of the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate into the top of every cookie.
7. **Bake**: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven, baking for 8 to 9 minutes. The edges should be crisp, while the centers stay soft. Take care not to overbake; they might seem slightly underbaked but will firm up as they cool.
8. **Cool and Store**: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until they can be picked up without crumbling. Store the cookies in an airtight container, where they will last for up to 3 days.
These vegan chocolate fennel cookies are an extraordinary dessert that fuses the sweetness of chocolate with the fragrant taste of fennel, ideal for any occasion. Enjoy your baking!