Chocolate Anise Straws Food

CHOCOLATE ANISE BARK

Steps:

• Line a small baking sheet with foil and chill.
• Finely grind anise in an electric coffee/spice grinder.
• Stir together cherries, apricots, and cashews.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
• Stir in anise and half of fruit and spoon onto center of baking sheet. Spread with a rubber spatula into a roughly 10- by 5-inch rectangle and sprinkle with remaining fruit mixture, pressing lightly to help adhere.
• Chill until firm, about 30 minutes, then break into pieces.

MANGO FOOLS WITH CHOCOLATE-ANISE STRAWS

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatin over juice in a small heatproof cup and let stand 1 minute to soften. Purée mangoes with sugar in a blender until very smooth and force through a sieve into a large bowl.
• Melt softened gelatin in cup in a pan of simmering water or in a microwave and stir into purée. Beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks and gently fold into purée.
• Chill fool, covered, at least 8 hours.

CHOCOLATE-ANISE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Finely grind anise in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Finely chop chocolate with anise and sugar in a food processor.
• Cut phyllo sheets in half crosswise to form 6 sheets. Cover with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel. Place 1 sheet of phyllo with long side nearest you on a work surface (keep remaining sheets covered) and lightly brush lower half of sheet with butter. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of chocolate mixture lengthwise across center of sheet. Fold phyllo sheet in half, enclosing chocolate, and brush lightly with butter. Starting with chocolate side, roll up pastry tightly to form a 12-inch straw. Transfer straw, seam side down, to a baking sheet, then make 5 more in same manner.
• Bake straws in upper third of oven until golden, 12 to 14 minutes, and cool on a rack. Break in half to form 12 straws.

CHOCOLATE ANISE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Add the ground anise seed and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Form the dough into a 16-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log. Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the cookies cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE ANISE COOKIES BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Add the ground anise seed and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Form the dough into a 16-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log. Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet.(I spooned the dough directly on the parchment lined cookie sheet in a log shape and gently shaped it with my fingers).
• Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the cookies cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.