Anise Cookies

MAKES 2 TRAYS

For the dough: 1¼ cups (150 g) powdered sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 pinch salt, 2 tsp (8 oz) vanilla sugar, 1 cup + 3 tbsp (150 g) flour, 1 tsp ground star anise

Additional: icing bad with a round tip, butter and flour for the baking sheet

The dough can be prepared the day before, if necessary. Sift powdered sugar into a mixing bowl, and add in eggs, salt, and vanilla sugar. Place the bowl in a hot water bath and beat the ingredients using a hand mixer with the whisk attachment until the cream has reached a temperature of 105°F (40°C). Remove the bowl from the water bath and stir until the mixture is cold again. Then sift the flour onto the mixture and fold it in gently along with the star anise. Pour the mixture into the pastry bag and squeeze approximately quarter-sized circles onto the baking sheets, making sure not to place them too close together. Let harden at room temperature for 12 hours.

Then preheat the oven to 285°F (140°C), unless you have a convection oven, in which case preheat to 250°F (120°C), or a gas oven, in which case preheat to level 1. Grease the baking sheets and sprinkle with flour. Place the trays one at a time in the preheated oven (middle rack), and bake the cookies for 20-30 minutes. They are done when they brown slightly on the bottom but are still very light on top. Remove the anise cookies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

You should prepare the anise cookies 2-3 weeks before they will be eaten so that they have plenty of time to become soft.

 

It is a quote. Christmas Cookies Dozens of Classic Yuletide Treats for the Whole Family 2015