Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

 Toast the almonds in the preheated oven for 4-6 minutes or until fragrant and lightly golden (keep a close eye as they will burn easily if left too long)

 In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, sugar and zest until combined. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the wet ingredients – water, oil, and vanilla.

 Stir in a circular motion from the center slowly incorporating the liquid into the dry ingredients. The dough will be pretty sticky. Add a little extra water if you need it to allow all the flour to be incorporated.

Add the almonds and mix to ensure they are distributed evenly. Bring the dough together with your hands.

 Using damp hands, divide the dough into two logs about 3 inches wide and flatten slightly at the top. Arrange on the baking sheet at least a few inches apart. (Try to keep the two logs uniform in size and shape so they cook evenly in the oven)

 Bake for 25-30 minutes until the surface is firm. Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 300F

 Let the logs cool slightly on the tray for 10-15 minutes. Then, using a serrated knife, slice gently into ½ inch slices. Place the slices back on a baking tray cut side down and return to the oven.

 Bake for 10 minutes on each side (total of 20 minutes). Remove and cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Sprinkle with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.

 Delicious for dunking !

Chef Veera Gaul