Anise Cookie Baskets With Riesling Ice Cream And Fresh Fruit Recipes

ANISE COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt butter and shortening together. Add the sugar; mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the anise extract. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture gradually. If the dough is too sticky to roll in the palm of your hand, add flour until firmer, but it should be very soft. Roll dough in small balls (these tend to really puff up with all the baking powder in them!) and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake @ 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes (the bottom should be lightly browned but the tops should remain light). Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
• Next time I will be more careful with the flour, I think I added a bit too much. The tops of my cookies cracked. I also used my cookie scoop and filled it half way, which seemed to work pretty well.
• Mix milk GRADUALLY into confectioners' sugar to make a thick glaze... make sure to keep it on the thick side. Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Sprinkle with colored jimmies or nonpareils while glaze is still wet. I usually dip 10-12 cookies, return them to the wire rack (with wax paper under the racks to aid in clean up!) and then sprinkle those cookies before starting to dip more.
• I dipped and sprinkled 5 at a time, that seemed to be the magic number before the glaze would start to harden.

ANISE COOKIE BASKETS WITH RIESLING ICE CREAM AND FRESH FRUIT

Steps:

• For ice cream:
• Bring 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk sugar and yolks in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in hot cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes, do not boil. Strain into bowl. Mix in wine and 1 cup cream. Chill custard until cold.
• Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to covered container (ice cream will be soft) and freeze. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead.)
• For cookies:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter and flour heavy large nonstick baking sheet. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk in egg whites and flour.
• Drop slightly rounded tablespoon of batter onto center of half of prepared baking sheet. Drop another slightly rounded tablespoon of batter onto center of second half of prepared baking sheet. Using back of spoon, spread each mound of batter to 6-inch round. Bake cookies until brown on edges (centers will be slightly pale), about 8 minutes.
• Working quickly and using metal spatula, lift 1 cookie off sheet. Immediately turn cookie over onto inverted custard cup. Gently flatten cookie on cup bottom; crimp sides of cookie. Repeat with second cookie. Remove cookies from cups. Rinse baking sheet under cold water; wipe sheet dry. Repeat process with remaining batter, first rinsing and drying, then buttering and flouring baking sheet between batches. (Cookies can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)
• Place cookie baskets on plates. Fill each with 3 small scoops of ice cream.
• Top with fruit and mint leaves.

COOKIE FRUIT BASKETS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup; cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in flour. Fold in pecans and vanilla. , Drop by tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. , Cool for 30-60 seconds; peel cookies off paper. Immediately drape over inverted 6-oz. custard cups; cool completely. Scoop ice cream into baskets; top with berries.

ANISE ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans and aniseed. , Shape into two 10-in. rolls; wrap each in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 4 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap dough; cut 1/4 in. off the ends of each roll. Cut dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.