Graham Cracker Crumb Biscotti

What do you do with leftover graham wafer crumbs? Personally, I usually leave them in the cupboard to go stale and then throw them out.

I got ready to do just that when I was cleaning out the cupboard yesterday. But then, I decided to do the sniff test. They didn't smell stale – I had used them only a month ago for an awesome cheesecake recipe Tegan had given me. 

I could bake another cheesecake. But then I'd eat it. Or I could skip the step where I let them go stale and just throw them out now.

As I heard my mom's voice saying "waste not, want not," I wondered if I could make some sort of cookie out of them - like say, biscotti? But on the other hand, I don't even like graham wafers so why why waste good ingredients like butter and eggs on them? 

It was an epic internal struggle, and in the end the "bake the biscotti" side won . They are actually pretty good. I'd recommend them as a post-cheesecake treat.

Coincidentally, I recently listened to a podcast about graham wafers. You could wiki it, but the short story is that they were invented by a preacher named Sylvester Graham. His theory was that a vegetarian diet of whole grains and a general lifestyle that minimized pleasure and stimulation (wink, wink) was how god intended us to live. The first graham wafers had no sugar and rumour has it they tasted like cardboard. 

I'm sure Mr. Graham is spinning in his grave to see his invention now sweetened and shaped like bears, or used as a support layer for cheesecake.

Anyways, give it a try and enjoy the biscotti.

Note: I ran the crumbs through my food processor to create a fine textured flour.

Mix together
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup graham crumbs (that have been processed to flour consistency)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Add in and mix until completely incorporated and forms a ball of dough
5 Tbsp butter (room temp)
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Divide dough in half.
Shape each half into a 12-inch, flat-topped log (3 inches wide) and place on parchment covered baking sheet.

Bake at 350º for 25 minutes

Transfer logs to cutting board and reduce oven to 325º.

When logs are cool enough to handle but still warm, cut with serrated knife into 1 inch slices (either straight across or diagonally).

Place pieces back on the cookie sheet and bake for another 20 minutes or until they are dry, crisp and brown.

*I bake mine on a pizza stone. Works great.