Sweet Provençal Flatbread With Anise Seeds Recipes

ITALIAN ANISE BREAD

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and anise seed together in a very large bowl; create a well in the center.
• Mix warm water and yeast together in a bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
• Beat warm milk, eggs, and butter together in a bowl; stir into yeast mixture. Add milk mixture to the well in the flour mixture. Knead flour-milk mixture using your hands until dough and your hands are no longer sticky. Cover dough with a clean cotton cloth and let rise, 8 hours to overnight.
• Grease and flour 6 loaf pans.
• Punch dough down and divide into 6 portions. Mold each portion into a round shape and place each in a prepared pan. Cover pans and let rise for 1 hour more.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until bread is cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.

MOROCCAN ANISE BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the water. Add the honey (or sugar) and let stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining water, oil, anise, salt, and 2 cups of the flour to a large bowl. Gradually stir in the remaining flour until the mixture holds together.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough and divide in half. Shape each piece into a ball, cover, and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal or fine semolina (or you can grease the baking sheet). Flatten each dough ball into a 6-inch round. Some cooks flute the outer edge, others leave it plain; it's your choice. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, cover, and let.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Pierce the dough around the sides with the tines of a fork or a toothpick. Beat egg whites with water, and brush the tops of the loaves with the egg white mixture. Then lightly sprinkle the top of the loaf with the sesame seeds.
• Bake at 375° until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

SWEET CINNAMON FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Fill a small bowl with water; sprinkle over yeast. Let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Stir yeast mixture and add to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment along with, salt, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, and flour-cinnamon mixture. Mix until a dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a large bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Keep in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and then with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. With racks in center of oven. Remove dough from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Cut dough in half. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thick on a lightly floured work surface. Using the tines of a fork, poke holes in dough. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut dough into 2-by-7-inch rectangles; transfer rectangles to baking sheets.
• Mix together remaining 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the top of each rectangle with remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

ANISE SEED FLATBREADS

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Pulse oats in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then pulse to mix well. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and pulse until dough just forms a ball. Divide dough into quarters and cover with a kitchen towel.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Form flatbreads:
• Roll out 1 piece of dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 10 1/2- by 8 1/2-inch rectangle. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon anise seeds. Gently roll pin lightly over seeds to help them adhere.
• Trim dough (to a 10- by 8-inch rectangle) with a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife. Cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into sixths for a total of 12 strips (4 by 1 2/3 inches). Arrange strips 1/2inch apart on a buttered baking sheet and make more in same manner, using another buttered baking sheet for last 2 batches.
• Bake flatbreads:
• Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until glaze is golden brown and flatbreads are crisp, 15 to 20 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool.

SWEET PROVENçAL FLATBREAD WITH ANISE SEEDS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together in a bucket or mixing bowl, cover loosely and allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Refrigerate for up to two weeks, removing portions as needed for daily loaves. The wet dough can be used at room temperature but is easier to handle when cold.
• Cut off a pound of dough (about the size of a grapefruit) with a kitchen scissors or a serrated knife.
• Gently form a smooth ball by generously dusting the ball with flour and stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
• Using your hands, a rolling pin, and enough dusting flour to prevent sticking, flatten the ball to a thickness of 1/4-inch.
• Like pizza (1/8-inch thick dough), these don't need to rest after you roll them out. Keeping your work surface well-dusted with flour, use a pizza cutter to make eight triangular flatbreads.
• Using a spatula or your fingers, lift the triangles onto a greased cookie sheet, a silicone mat, or a pizza peel well-dusted with flour or covered with parchment paper.
• Use a pastry brush to paint the triangles with water and sprinkle with anise seeds.
• Slide them onto the pre-heated baking stone (or place the cookie sheet or silicone pad on the stone). Pour 1 cup of tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until richly browned and firm.