I love the flavoring that star anise gives....

Does anyone here have a recipe for biscotti cookies using anise?  I've tried some before and thought they were really good.   Also, does anyone have a stir-fry recipe that calls for anise.   I heard of this before.  I like to try new things using different spices.  Would like to share some things in the future as well.

Thanks.

Classic Anise Biscotti

Classic Anise Biscotti

Yield: Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

3/4

cup (about 4 ounces) whole blanched almonds

2-1/4

cups all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon baking powder

3/4

teaspoon salt

3/4

cup sugar

1/2

cup unsalted butter, softened

3

eggs

2

tablespoons brandy

2

teaspoons grated lemon peel

1

tablespoon anise seeds

Preparation:

1.

Preheat oven to 375°F. To toast almonds, spread almonds on baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and light brown; turn off oven. Let almonds cool slightly; coarsely chop.

2.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping side of bowl often. Stir in brandy and lemon peel. Add flour mixture gradually; stir until smooth. Stir in chopped almonds and anise seeds. Cover and refrigerate dough 1 hour or until firm.

3.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease large baking sheet. Divide dough in half. Shape 1/2 of dough into 12X2-inch log on lightly floured surface. (Dough will be fairly soft.) Pat smooth with lightly floured fingertips. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 1/2 of dough to form second log. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until logs are light golden brown. Turn off oven. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.

4.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut logs diagonally with serrated knife into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices flat in single layer on 2 ungreased baking sheets.

5.

Bake 8 minutes. Turn slices over; bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cut surfaces are light brown and cookies are dry. Remove cookies to wire racks; cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Thank you Morningdove.  I am going to favorite this recipe and try it very soon.  Sounds yummy.

Ooooooooooo! Pretty doggie!

Anise and Star Anise are two completely different spices and there is a distinct difference in flavor.

Star Anbise is mostly used in Asian cuisine. I make Indonesian curried rice flavored with star Anise and some times just add half a star when I cook plain rice.. Must admit I have never used the ground up  version, only the whole stars.

I have also cooked milk with one  star in it and then made vanilla pudding and poured it over pineapple chunks . or cut up mango.

Thanks!   Her name is buttons.  She spent her first two years living in the parking lot of a garment factory.   The owner of the factory (and buttons) gave her to us.  

I didn't know about the different anise.  I am glad to know that. 

 Anise seed is related to fennel, and kind of looks like caraway seed.  It's easier to grind than star anise.

Lady Fingers I love the message you have at the bottom.  It makes me laugh when I read it.  Great.  I love dry humor. 

Fox,

Fingers is right, regualr anise seeds look something like caraway seeds. One qrt of water sikmred  at very low temp for 1/2 hr with two heapig tbsp of anise seed make a nice herb tea that tastes like anise-liquorice. it is good when you have  inytestinal gas and is also a good remedy to help losen mucus when you have a chest cold. For latter I would make it a bit stromger, seetwn with honey and sip slowly.

Go to Wikipedia and look for star Anise, there is a picture and the whole story of cultvation, use, etc etc. You  get the best price on star anise if you buy it in oriental stores, whole or ground.Brew a pot of balck tea and throw in one or two stars and let steep with the tea. You can do the same with cardamom pods, get green cardamom pods and just brak one open and put in the tepot when you make tea: delicious. (The Catholic priest who was here 5-6 yrs ago was from Inda and he told me about it. You can get cardamom pods from Penzeys or try a healthfood store. Other sources may be: Frontier Herbs, San Francisco Herb Co,

gr_elo the tea advice you gave sounds especially good.  This is also giving me some good ideas for home made ice cream.

Foxy, th ice cream is an excellent idea, . Vanilla flavored with a bit ot of ground star anise sounds heavenly, one could even flavor whipped cream with it ior a cake icing. It should be very good when combined with a little cinnamon and sugar.

I better stop talking about all those good things or I'll get hungry and this is the time I should be gling to bed instead of talking food.

BTW your little Buttons looks exactly like te pup (now 8 yrs old) my friend in  ea Oregon has. Her name is Juneau (named after the capital of Alaska) Smart and very loyal, and good watch dogs like all Spitzes.

I am off to bed now so I'll say good night. Tell us about all your experiments with the real anise and the star anise. I think this Sunday I will  make the  Indonesian curried rice, have not had it for 6 mo or so.