Anise is a popular biscotto and considered to be one of the most traditional flavours. Growing up, I enjoyed my mother’s time-honoured anise cookies with the winter holidays. As I got more and more into biscotti, I was thrilled to find another way to enjoy this spice throughout the year.
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons (60 ml) Unsalted Butter, chilled and cubed
- ¾ cup (180 ml) White Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Pure Anise Extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Water
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Anise Seed, lightly ground
- 1½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) Baking Powder
- 2 cups (480 ml) All-Purpose flour
How to Make It
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Mixing
- In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until it becomes the consistency of sand and small pebbles.
- Beat in eggs, anise extract, and water. Follow with ground anise seed and baking powder.
- While mixing, add one cup of flour at a time. Avoid over-mixing the flour; if necessary, stop mixing between making measurements. Rolling & Baking
- Preheat oven to 325° F/165° C/Gas Mark 3. Dust a baking sheet with flour or line with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into equal halves and form each section into a ball.
- Flour your hands. One at a time, roll each dough ball into a cylinder 8 to 10 inches/20 to 25 centimeters long. Re-flour your hands between rolling each ball or as needed.
- Position the dough cylinders parallel to one another lengthwise on a baking sheet.
- Using the heel of your hand, gently press each cylinder into a 1 inch/2.5 centimeters thick loaf. These loaves should be spaced at least 2 inches/5 centimeters apart on the baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until lightly toasted.
- Remove the baking sheet from oven, and carefully transfer loaves to a cooling rack. Let sit for 8 to 10 minutes. If you used flour instead of parchment paper, you might wish to remove any remaining residue on the bottom of the loaf with a brush.
- Place one of the loaves on the center of a cutting board. With a large sharp knife, use a forward and downward motion to cut slices at a 45° angle 1 inch/2.5 centimeters thick.
- Return the slices to the baking sheet spacing the pieces equally apart down each side with the cut sides upright.
- Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer pieces back to a cooling rack. Once cool, serve and enjoy!
