1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Crush the fennel seeds to a powder in a mortar and pestle or in a clean coffee grinder.
2. Fill a medium saucepan one-quarter full with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the fennel, 200g chocolate, butter and almond butter and place over boiling water. Stir until the chocolate is almost all melted, then remove from the heat. The residual heat will continue to melt the chocolate.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla and beat on high speed until the eggs are light and very thick, about 5 minutes. Pour in the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until thick, about 1 minute.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the buckwheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold it into the batter using a spatula. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter onto each baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them. Lightly press pieces of the remaining 25g of chocolate onto the top of each biscuit.
5. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are crisp but the centers are soft. Be careful not to overcook. They may seem a little undercooked, but they will solidify as they cool. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes or until you can scoop the cookies without them falling apart. They can be stored for 3 days in an airtight container.
©2021 by Aran Goyoaga. Excerpted from Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple: A New Way to Bake Gluten-Free with permission from Sasquatch Books.
