Chocolate Anise Straws Recipes

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.

CHOCOLATE STRAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees, or 350 degrees with convection. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry into a long rectangle, about 8 inches wide, turning over a few times to distribute the flour evenly. Patch any cracks with warm water and roll smooth.
• Combine chocolate and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
• Turn the pastry so the long side is facing you. Using a ruler or straight edge, trim off edges so the rectangle is smooth and straight. Cut the rectangle in half, top to bottom, into two smaller rectangles of equal size. Refrigerate for 20 minutes
• Brush both rectangles with melted butter. Sprinkle the chocolate-sugar mixture evenly over one rectangle and place the other on top, butter side down. Use the rolling pin to roll out and press the two layers together.
• Using a ruler (if desired), cut into strips about 8 inches long and 3/4- to 1-inch wide. Lift up a strip by the ends, gently twist it two or three times, and place on the prepared pan. Press the ends flat. Repeat, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between straws.
• Bake until light brown and crisp, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven after 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

MANGO FOOLS WITH CHOCOLATE-ANISE STRAWS

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatin over juice in a small heatproof cup and let stand 1 minute to soften. Purée mangoes with sugar in a blender until very smooth and force through a sieve into a large bowl.
• Melt softened gelatin in cup in a pan of simmering water or in a microwave and stir into purée. Beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks and gently fold into purée.
• Chill fool, covered, at least 8 hours.

CHOCOLATE STRAWS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
• Pour melted chocolate onto the back of a clean 11-by-17-inch baking pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into a thin even rectangle, covering the pan.
• Place pan in refrigerator to chill until chocolate sets up slightly, about 15 minutes. Holding the pan vertically, score the chocolate down the middle with a metal bench scraper. Starting on the left side and holding scraper at a 45 degrees.angle, gently push away from you for about 2 1/2 inches, forming a curl or straw. Repeat making straws down side of pan and on the other side, for a total of twelve straws. If the chocolate gets too soft, chill 5 minutes. Store straws between parchment layers in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to use.

CHOCOLATE ANISE BARK

Steps:

• Line a small baking sheet with foil and chill.
• Finely grind anise in an electric coffee/spice grinder.
• Stir together cherries, apricots, and cashews.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
• Stir in anise and half of fruit and spoon onto center of baking sheet. Spread with a rubber spatula into a roughly 10- by 5-inch rectangle and sprinkle with remaining fruit mixture, pressing lightly to help adhere.
• Chill until firm, about 30 minutes, then break into pieces.

SOFT CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH GRAPEFRUIT AND STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Combine chocolate and butter in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 10-second intervals until chocolate is almost melted; remove and stir until melted and smooth. Finely grind 1 teaspoon sugar and 3 star anise in spice mill or small coffee grinder. Transfer to small bowl; whisk in flour, cocoa, coarse salt, and baking powder.
• Beat remaining 1/4 cup sugar, eggs, honey, and grapefruit peel in large bowl until thick and smooth. Fold in chocolate, then dry ingredients. Cover bowl; chill batter until cold and firm, at least 45 minutes and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing mounds 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until dry-looking and tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheet 3 minutes, then transfer to racks and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper.
• Star anise is a brown, star-shaped seedpod. It's available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at specialty

CHOCOLATE STAR ANISE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Bring cream to a boil with star anise in a small heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes.
• Finely grind bittersweet chocolate in a food processor and transfer to a bowl.
• Return cream to a simmer, then remove from heat and stir in Cognac. Sour cream mixture through a fine sieve onto chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Pour ganache into an 8- by 4-inch loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, smoothing top, and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 4 hours.
• Loosen edges of ganache with a sharp small knife and invert onto a cutting surface. Remove plastic wrap and cut ganache into 40 squares.
• Dust your palms with cocoa and roll each piece of ganache between them to form a ball. Drop ball into cocoa bowl and turn to cover completely. Lift truffle with a fork and transfer to a plate. Chill truffles, covered, until ready to serve.