Lemon And Anise Sugar Twists Food

LEMON-ANISE FLAN

Steps:

• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Quickly pour caramel into eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups. Using oven mitts as aid, immediately tilt each ramekin to coat bottom. Transfer ramekins to 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set aside.
• Combine whole milk, aniseed, cinnamon stick and lemon peel in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 45 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Pour milk mixture into large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to blend. Strain egg mixture into another large bowl. Pour custard into prepared ramekins, dividing equally. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake flans until center is gently set, about 35 minutes. Transfer flans to rack and cool. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Run knife around 1 flan to loosen. Turn over onto plate. Shake gently. Lift off ramekin, allowing syrup to run over flan. Repeat with remaining flans.

CLASSIC LEMON TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. (If you like, you can let the butter cook until it browns and smells nutty, 2 to 4 minutes longer.)
• Whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and, using a spatula, mix until well combined. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan, using a measuring cup if you like to flatten the tart shell and make sure it's even. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 months (wrap in plastic if storing for more than 4 hours).
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the crust is very lightly golden at the edges and baked through on the bottom, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool. (Tart shell can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.)
• Make the curd: Put butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, yolks and salt. Whisk the hot mixture gradually into the eggs to temper them. Then pour everything back into the saucepan and return to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (170 degrees; do not overcook, or it will curdle), about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Taste and add a bit more sugar if you like. It should taste tart but balanced.
• Spread the curd (it's OK if it's still warm) into the tart shell, spreading it evenly with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Return to the oven to bake until the curd is just set along the edges but still jiggly in the center, about 7 to 15 minutes. (It will continue to firm up as it cools.) Transfer back to the wire rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. If the curd still looks a little loose after cooling, you can chill the tart for an hour or two before serving. Note that it's a soft curd but shouldn't be runny.

ANISE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extract. Combine the flour, aniseed, salt, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Shape into 1-in. balls; place on greased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar., Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on wire racks. If desired, decorate cookies with frosting and sprinkles.

NECTARINES, PLUMS, AND BLUEBERRIES IN LEMONY GINGER ANISE SYRUP

Steps:

• With a vegetable peeler remove three 3 x 1/2-inch pieces zest from lemon. In a saucepan bring water to a boil with zest, gingerroot, star anise, sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice and simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup and discard star anise. Syrup may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Halve and pit nectarines and plums. Cut nectarines into wedges. In a bowl toss cut fruit together with blueberries, syrup, and remaining lemon juice. Mixture may be made 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

LEMON AND ANISE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Make sure there is a rack in the middle slot of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 1 large nonstick baking sheet & have 1 ungreased baking sheet ready.
• Toast almonds on the ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• In a small skillet, toast the aniseed, shaking the pan, over medium heat for 3 minutes or until fragrant.
• Process sugar & zest in a food processor until zest is finely ground.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, coriander, baking powder & salt.
• In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter & suger mixture together, beginning on low speed & increasing to medium-high, until combined well.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then reduce the speed to low & add flour mixture & aniseed, beating just until blended.
• With a rubber spatula, stir in the almonds.
• Halve the dough & place both portions on the buttered baking sheet.
• Quickly form each piece into a 12:x1" log, & place them at least 3 inches apart on the buttered baking sheet, then smooth the 2 logs with dampened fingers.
• Bake for 35 minutes, turning the baking sheet once, or until logs are golden brown & beginning to crack on top.
• Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer logs to a cutting board & with a sharp knife, cut each log into 1/8-inch slices.
• Arrange slices on the same baking sheet & return to the oven.
• Bake for about 16 minutes, turning the cookies over halfway through the baking, until crisp & golden brown on both sides.
• Let cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

GREEK HONEY AND ANISE TWISTS (KOULOURAKIA)

Steps:

• Mix honey, 2 tablespoons liqueur and juice in small bowl. Set glaze aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter baking sheets. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons liqueur, aniseed and lemon peel. Gradually mix in dry ingredients.
• Working with 1 tablespoon dough at a time, roll dough between palms and work surface into 7-inch ropes. Form into bow ties or twists. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Brush glaze over cookies. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake cookies until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks. Lightly brush cookies again with glaze. Cool. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)

LEMON AND ANISE SUGAR TWISTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle work surface with sugar. Set pastry atop sugar and roll out to thickness of 1/8 inch. Brush with egg glaze. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and lemon peel in small bowl. Sprinkle over pastry. Sprinkle with aniseed. Cut pastry crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Pick up each pastry strip, twist several times and place on ungreased cookie sheet, pressing ends onto sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool pastries on rack.