Anise Cookie Baskets With Riesling Ice Cream And Fresh Fruit Recipes

ANISE COOKIES IV

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in the anise extract. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the wet ingredients. Scoop out spoonfuls and roll into balls. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost when cool if desired.

ITALIAN ANISE COOKIES WITH ICING AND SPRINKLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• For cookies, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add anise extract.
• Blend flour and baking powder. Start by adding about 1/3 of these dry ingredients to the butter/sugar in your mixer, then add 1 T. milk. Add another third of the flour and another 1 T. milk. Finally, mix in enough of the remaining flour until your dough is like a brownie batter (it should be softer than a drop cookie dough).
• Use a 1 T. cookie scooper to make simple round drop cookies - use wet fingers to pat any rough edges OR for an Easter-Egg look, roll 1 T. dough into an elongated ball.
• Bake cookies 10-12 minutes (they won't be brown but the insides will be soft and cake-like).
• For icing: mix sugar, milk and extract to make a sugar glaze. HINT: When I make the icing, I make it thick but then I microwave it for 10 seconds so it is thin enough for dipping. Also, I like to divide the mixture in thirds, and then add ONE DROP of food coloring to each batch (pink, green, yellow).
• Hold cookie in your hand and turn upside down so you can dip the top half in the glaze; turn over and immediately top with sprinkles so they will stick.
• Allow icing to harden overnight; then store in air-tight containers or freeze.

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 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.

STAR ANISE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, bring the milk, heavy cream, star anise, and vanilla bean to a simmer for a few minutes. Turn off, and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
• Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together, long enough to dissolve the sugar.
• Temper hot liquid into egg mixture. Return all back into saucepan. Over low heat stirring all the while until mixture starts to thicken, strain through chinois. Chill immediately over ice bath.
• Churn in a standard ice cream machine.

TRADITIONAL ANISE COOKIES

Steps:

• With a Kitchenaid mixer: beat eggs 20 minutes with 2 cups of granulated sugar (yes I mean 20 minutes as this is what will make the cookies light as a feather with a crisp melt in you mouth top crust).
• Add flour gradually, beating well after each addition. Add 1 tsp anise oil and blend well.
• Drop by tablespoonsful onto greased cookie sheets and let stand in a draft free place overnight.
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes until light golden but do not brown.
• Cool on baking racks thoroughly before storing.
• Store in a tightly covered cookie tin (not plastic).
• The longer you let the cookie age, the better it will be.

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.