5 Spice Sugar Food

FIVE-SPICE POWDER

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in blender or coffee grinder.
• Blend until finely ground.
• Store in airtight container.
• Keeps up to 2 months.
• Note: You could"roast" the whole spices a bit for a more intense flavor in a dry frying pan-- Watch closely to prevent spices from burning.

FIVE-SPICE GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Whisk together flour, five-spice powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
• Pulse ginger with 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
• Add syrup, butter, egg, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar to processor and blend until mixture is thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add flour mixture and pulse just until a dough forms. Form dough into a disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 8 hours to allow flavors to develop.
• Bake and ice cookies:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Quarter dough. Keeping remaining 3 pieces wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled, roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured sheet of wax paper with a lightly floured rolling pin to 3/4 inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft to roll out, chill on wax paper until firm.) Cut out rounds with cutter and transfer to 1 lined baking sheet, arranging cookies about 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies until slightly puffed and a shade darker, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheet. If desired, make holes with piping tip near edges to hang cookies, then transfer cookies (still on parchment) to a rack to cool completely. (Cookies will flatten slightly as they cool.)
• While first batch is baking, roll out and cut another batch, arranging cookies on second lined sheet. Bake in same manner, then gather scraps and chill until dough is firm enough to reroll, 15 to 20 minutes. Make more cookies with scraps (reroll scraps only once) and remaining pieces of dough, cooling sheets and lining them with fresh parchment before using.
• If using icing and coloring it, transfer small batches of icing to small bowls, 1 for each color, and tint with food coloring. Spoon each color of icing into a separate pastry bag, pressing out excess air. Twist bag firmly just above icing, then decoratively pipe icing onto cookies. Let icing dry completely (about 1 hour, depending on humidity) before serving or storing cookies.

HOISIN FIVE-SPICE PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Pulse the pineapple, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice wine, honey, hoisin sauce and five-spice powder in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and add the ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool. Add the pork chops, turning to coat; cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat a grill to medium high and lightly brush the grates with vegetable oil. Remove the pork chops from the marinade, letting the excess drip off; transfer to a baking sheet and let rest 15 minutes before grilling. Transfer the marinade to a saucepan.
• Cook the marinade over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it boils and thickens slightly, about 7 minutes. (You can also do this in a cast-iron skillet on the grill.) Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
• Transfer the pork chops to the grill and cook until marked, about 6 minutes. Flip and continue grilling until cooked through, 3 to 4 more minutes. Remove the pork from the grill and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with the sauce.

FIVE-SPICE SNICKERDOODLES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 400˚. Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon each five-spice powder and cinnamon, the baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined. Beat in the vanilla, then reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until combined.
• Mix the red sanding sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each five-spice powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each), then roll them in the red sugar. Arrange 3 inches apart on 2 unlined baking sheets.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies spread, crackle in the centers and are lightly golden around the edges, 9 to 12 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the pans, then remove the cookies to racks to cool completely.

CHINESE 5-SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Combine flour, five-spice powder, baking soda and dry pudding mix. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in egg. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Drop tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets.
• Bake 10 to 12 min. or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 1 min. on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Whisk powdered sugar, water and extract until blended; brush onto cookies. Sprinkle with nuts.

CHINESE 5 SPICE SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine hoisin, honey, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, Chinese 5 Spice, brown sugar and cayenne; whisk. Place ribs in a large re-sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over; massage until ribs are evenly coated. Transfer to the refrigerator overnight.
• Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and place ribs in a single layer; cover the dish with aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven and cook ribs on 350ºF for 1 hour or until tender, brushing with the marinade every 15 minutes.
• Pour marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and keep a gentle simmer.
• After an hour, transfer ribs on a wire rack sits on a baking sheet. Brush the remaining marinade and transfer back to the oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately with green beans and sprinkle sesame seeds.

5 SPICE SUGAR

Steps:

• For a gift: Layer in a 1/3-1/2 C clear, narrow jar.
• To use: Stir spices and shake on what ever you like.

FIVE SPICE COD WITH CHILLI SOY DRESSING

Steps:

• Season the cod chunks with the Chinese 5 spice powder, 2 cloves of minced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Rub this into the fish, and then toss the cod in the corn flour.
• In a separate bowl combine the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, spring onion and chilli, and set aside.
• In a large sauce pan, heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil on a medium heat. Once hot add the cod and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side until cooked through out, and the outside turns slightly golden.
• While this is cooking, in a separate pan, heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil on a medium to high gas and add the mange tout with 1 clove of mince garlic. Season the greens a little with salt and pepper, then cook for 4 minutes, giving it a stir every so often to ensure the flavours spread evenly and the mange tout remains firm but tender.
• Once ready, serve the cod chunks on top of the mange tout and drizzle the soy dressing over the top.

FIVE SPICE SLOW COOKER PORK WITH NOODLES

Steps:

• Rub the pork all over with the five-spice powder and salt. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, the mushrooms, if using, and the meat, turning it a few times to coat. Cover the cooker, set it on HIGH, and cook for 4 hours. Set the cooker on LOW and cook until the meat is very tender, at least another 2 hours (6 hours total).
• Transfer the pork to a platter, cover lightly, and let rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and skim off and discard the vegetables and fat that rise to the surface. Slice the meat and serve warm or at room temperature with noodles and the sauce on the side.

FIVE-SPICE MIX

Steps:

• Toast the whole spices in a small pan until they are aromatic and have turned a shade or two darker. Don't be tempted to skip this stage, as it really enhances the flavours.
• Tip into a spice grinder (or use a pestle and mortar), then add the ready-ground spices and dried herbs if required, and crush to a fine powder. Store in a sealed jar for up to six months.

FIVE-SPICE BEEF & SUGAR SNAP NOODLES

Steps:

• Heat a large non-stick frying pan or wok, then fry the beef for 10 mins until very well browned. Don't add any oil. Meanwhile, boil the noodles following pack instructions, then drain.
• Add the ginger, garlic, five-spice, chilli powder and mangetout to the browned mince, then fry for a few mins more until fragrant and the pods are bright green. Splash in the stock, add the noodles, then season with the soy sauce. Pile into bowls (use tongs, it's easier), sprinkling with the sesame oil and red chilli if using.

FIVE SPICE PEANUTS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with foil or wax paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray (that "release" foil works great).
• In a small heavy saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat to dissolve the sugar.
• Stir in the five-spice powder & bring to a boil; let boil for several minutes without stirring; when it reaches the "soft ball" stage (238 f) remove from the heat & stir in the peanuts.
• Spread the mixture out on the sheet; let stand until it has hardened then break into pieces. Store in a sealed canister.

FIVE-SPICE SUGAR RECIPE

Steps:

• In a tall, narrow, clear jar, roughly ⅓ to ½ cup in size, layer the ingredients, contrasting light layers with dark layers.
• Five Spice Sugar
• To use, shake jar or stir spices until blended.
• Sprinkle liberally onto buttered toast, sliced fruit, or tapioca pudding.
• Or sprinkle the sugar onto muffin batter in pans before baking.