Homemade Anisette Food

ANISETTE

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle, or a resealable bag and rolling pin, crush anise pods and fennel and coriander seeds. Toast together in a skillet over medium-high until fragrant, about 1 minute. Divide between 2 quart-size glass jars, then divide vodka evenly between jars. Let cool completely. Screw lids onto jars, shake gently, and let stand in a cool, dark place 5 days.
• Strain vodka mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth; discard solids. In a small pot, boil sugar and 1 1/4 cups water just until sugar dissolves; add to strained vodka. Let cool completely, then refrigerate until cold, 1 hour. Divide among eight 8-ounce gift bottles. Bottles will keep in refrigerator up to 6 months. To serve, pour 1.5 ounces directly over ice, or add 1 part anisette and 3 parts cold water to a glass filled with ice.

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.

ANISETTE TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in one egg until completely incorporated, then another. Beat in the last egg along with the anise extract. Mix in the flour until just incorporated. Divide the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Form each portion into a 12-inch long log, 1/2-inch thick.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool 5 minutes. Cut into 3/4-inch thick slices using a serrated knife, and place cut-side-down onto the baking sheets. Return to the oven, and bake 5 to 10 minutes until the bottoms turn golden brown. Turn the cookies over, and continue baking until golden brown on the other side, 5 to 10 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

ANISE CANDY

Steps:

• Butter an 8-in. square dish with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve any sugar crystals., Uncover; cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). Remove from the heat; stir in extract and food coloring. , Pour into prepared dish. Using a sharp knife, score into 3/4-in. squares. Cool. Separate into squares, using a sharp knife if necessary. Place confectioners' sugar in a pan; add candy and roll until coated. Brush off excess sugar with a pastry brush. , Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

ANISETTE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Beat sugar and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in walnuts, oil, anisette liqueur, brandy, and anise seeds. Fold in flour and baking powder until dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and chill, about 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Remove dough from refrigerator. Use greased hands to shape half the dough into a 1 1/2-inch-wide log on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough on second baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven, switching baking sheets halfway through, until dough is pale golden and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool until easily handled, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer logs to a cutting board and slice into 1-inch pieces at a 45-degree angle using a sharp or serrated knife. Arrange slices on their sides on the baking sheets.
• Bake again in the preheated oven, flipping slices over halfway through, until lightly browned, about 14 minutes.

HOMEMADE ANISETTE

Steps:

• Place aniseed, fennel seed, and coriander in a bowl.
• Grind all the seeds using the back of a spoon.
• Add the ground seeds to the brandy.
• Allow the mixture to soak for 4 weeks and then strain out the seeds.
• Allow the haze to settle for a week then pour off the sediment.
• Add the simple syrup and shake.
• To Make Simple Syrup: Add 1 part water to 2 parts sugar.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.
• Slowly heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Keep below boiling.
• The syrup is finished once the sugar is dissolved.

ANISETTE LOVE KNOTS

Steps:

• Cookies:.
• In bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Toss lightly with a fork. Add eggs and sugar - mix well, (mixture will be crumbly). Add melted butter, 3 teaspoons anise extract and warm water. Stir until mixture forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth. Chill for one hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of large olives and roll into logs. Tie each into a knot shape and place on aluminum foil approximately 2" apart. Slide foil with cookies onto cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are pale brown. When done, slide aluminum foil off cookie sheets and let cookies cool on foil until cool.
• Glaze:.
• Stir milk and remaining two tablespoons anise extract into confectioners sugar. Consistency should be like heavy cream, if needed, add drops of milk. Dip cookies upside down into glaze; turn upright and dry on cookie rack over waxed paper for one minute, than sprinkle with candy sprinkles. Makes about 50 cookies.
• Store in a waxed paper lined cookie tin, approximately one week.

ANISETTE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
• In a large bowl, beat eggs.
• Blend in vegetable oil, orange juice, almond extract, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and anise flavoring.
• Sift the flour with the sugar and baking powder.
• Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
• The dough will probably be sticky.
• Add additional flour until dough no longer sticks to your hands and can rolled.
• Pull off a piece of dough about the size of a walnut.
• Roll it into a rope and shape it into a knot.
• Place finished knots 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes.
• Bottoms should slightly brown.
• Cool cookies on a wire rack.
• If desired ice with confectioner's sugar icing.

ANISE HARD CANDY

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Uncover; cook on medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in extract and food coloring (if using anise oil, keep face away from mixture as the aroma will be very strong). Pour into a buttered 13-in. x 9-in. pan. When cooled slightly but not hardened, cut into 1-in. squares. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and white sugar. Make a well in the center and add oil, milk, 1 tablespoon anise extract, and eggs. Mix together until dough is sticky.
• Oil fingers and pinch off dough in 1 inch pieces. Roll into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart, flatten top slightly. Bake for 8 minutes. Dip cookies in Icing while warm.
• To Make Icing: Blend in 1 teaspoon anise extract and enough hot water to 1 cup confectioner's sugar to form a smooth icing.

ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add sugar, salt, baking powder, anisette; beat until smooth.
• In a small bowl, beat together oil and room temperature butter until well combined. Stir into batter.
• Gradually add flour, beating only for a short time after flour has been added. Use more or less flour to make a soft cookie batter dough. (Using less flour will make for a lighter cookie). Dough should be soft, but stiff enough to form a smooth shape.
• Cover; refrigerate dough for several hours.
• Using a cookie scoop or two teaspoons, shape the dough into small balls; press bottom of cookies lightly onto lightly greased cookie sheets, while keeping the rounded tops.
• Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. The cookies should be crisp but do not brown - they should be very light in color.
• Using a spatula, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
• To ice the cookies: In a clean mixing bowl, combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar with 4 teaspoons milk and 4 teaspoons Karo syrup. Stir until the icing is of a spreadable consistency, adding more milk if required. A few drops of anisette may be added for flavor; a drop or two of food coloring can be stirred in for a pastel-colored icing, if desired.
• Dip cookie tops into icing, then optionally sprinkle with colored cookie decorations.
• Makes approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies.