Star Anise Biscuits 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 & HONEY BISCUITS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon-baking mat.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or two knives.
• Stir in the anise seed.
• Make a well in the center and pour in the milk and honey.
• Stir to form a soft ball.
• Knead a few times on a floured board.
• Pat dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1 1/2 inch x 2-inch squares with a knife.
• Bake 10 - 12 minutes at 425 degrees, until golden brown.

MINI STAR-ANISE SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk 1/2 cup cream, egg, and lemon peel in medium bowl. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Using large holes of box grater, grate butter over dry ingredients. Using fingertips, blend until coarse meal forms. Add raisins and cream mixture. Stir until moist clumps form, adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Turn out onto floured surface; knead just until dough comes together.
• Pat out dough to 1/2-inch-thick round. Using 2-inch-diameter cutter, cut out scones. Gather dough scraps; press out to 1/2-inch thickness and cut out additional scones. Transfer to baking sheet.
• Brush tops of scones with 2 tablespoons cream; sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 16 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• *Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural foods stores.