Anise biscotti recipe

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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
    Mixing
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until it becomes the consistency of sand and small pebbles.
  2. Beat in eggs, anise extract, and water.  Follow with ground anise seed and baking powder.
  3. While mixing, add one cup of flour at a time.  Avoid over-mixing the flour; if necessary, stop mixing between making measurements.
  4. Rolling & Baking
  5. Preheat oven to 325° F/165° C/Gas Mark 3.  Dust a baking sheet with flour or line with parchment paper.
  6. Divide the dough into equal halves and form each section into a ball.
  7. 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.
  8. Position the dough cylinders parallel to one another lengthwise on a baking sheet.
  9. 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.
  10. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until lightly toasted.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. Return the slices to the baking sheet spacing the pieces equally apart down each side with the cut sides upright.
  14. Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes.
  15. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer pieces back to a cooling rack.  Once cool, serve and enjoy!
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