ISO: ISO: T&T recipe for Anise Toast

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tess

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A bakery back home in PA makes Anise Toast. It kinda looks like biscotti - it has the same shape but it's not as hard. It's hard to descibe the texture - crispy, easy to bite, very light in color, very anise-y in taste. I'm thinking the batter is more on the cakey side than cookie and maybe they don't bake again after slicing - or maybe they don't bake as long - because the cut sides are crispy but not browned. I know I can get the anise pow from anise oil instead of extract (oil is what I use for my cookies anyway).

So - anyone ever hear of these? and do you have a T&T recipe?

Thanks,

Tess

 
Toasted Anise-seed Cake Slices in April Gourmet sounds close

It's a cakey loaf that is sliced and then toasted in the oven, to resemble slices of toast. (Goes with lemon pudding and lemon curd served in an eggshell, a bit too fussy and cutesy for me...) But that would give you the crispy outside and the cakey inside.

Coincidentally I planned to make this loaf today (but skip the "toast" part).

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/238074

 
hi Tess, I have the recipe and I'll post it later. they are "classic" Italian cookies that you can

find in almost every Italian bakery. they have almonds in them too.

 
Tess, Here is the recipe I use from Maria Bruscino Sanchez from Sweet Maria's Italian Cookie Tray

Anise Toasts

"The flavorful biscuits are one of the first I learned to bake. Using anise extract oil produces a greater flavor than using the actual Anisette or Sambuca liqueurs. Whenever we bake them, the whole neighborhood can smell them!"

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tablespoons Anise oil or Extract
6 teaspoons baking powder
4-1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.

In an electric mixer, or with a wire whisk, beat eggs, sugar, oil, and anise until well blended.

On low speed, gradually mix in baking powder and 3 cups flour. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead in the additional 1-1/2 cups flour to make a soft dough. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Dust with flour if dough is too sticky to handle.

Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each piece to form a 12-inch long loaf.

Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing loaves 3 inches apart.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove cookie sheet from the oven.

Using two metal spatulas, carefully lift the loaves off the cookie sheet and onto a wire cooking rack. Cool.

Place cooled loaves on a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, slice loaves diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide strips and place in a single layer on the cookie sheet.

Return to the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove cookie sheet from the oven. Cool toasted biscotti on wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 48 cookies
Source: "Sweet Maria's Italian Cookie Tray"

This is a wonderful recipe. Maria Bruscino Sanchez owns a Bakery in Connecticut. I will try to locate her web site and post it for you. This book of hers is my standby for fabulous Italian Recipes.

Enjoy!

 
REC: Anicini (Anise Cookies) T&T hereya go Tess, one of these recipes should be what you want..

Anicini (Anise Cookies)
The Il Fornaio Baking Book

2/13 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBL anise seeds
1 1/2 cups sliced raw almonds
1/4 lb unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp anise extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, anise seeds and almonds. set aside.

In a large mixing bowl (I used kitchen aid with paddle attachment) combine the butter and sugar. beat the ingredients until the mixture is light and fluffy and pale in color, about 5 min. continue to beat on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beathing well after each addition and scraping dow nthe sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. beat in the vanilla and anise extracts. reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, one third at a time, beating well after each addition until thoroughly incorporated. beat until a smooth dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. divde the dough in 4 equal portion. using the palms of your hands, rool each portion into a log about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Line a 12 inch wide baking sheet that is at least 18 inches long with parchement paper or grease it with butter. (or use 2 baking sheets if you do not have one long enough, this dough spreads as it bakes.) place the logs crosswise on the baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart. using the palm of your hand, lightly flatten the top of each log until it is about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake the logs in the oven until a light golden brown, about 18 minutes. remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet until they can be handled, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the logs to a cutting surface and, with a sharp knife, cut them crosswise on the diagonal into slices 1/2 inch wide. if a single sheet has been used to bake the logs, line a second baking sheet with parchment or grease it with butter. arrange the pieces cutt sides down on the baking sheet and return the cookies to the oven. bake until nicely toasted and the edges are golden brown, 8 - 10 minutes. let cool completely on the baking sheets before serving. store in a covered container at room temp for up to 2 weeks.

my notes: I sometimes add more anise extract or seeds. I usually make 2 larger logs, just watch the baking time. no way will these last two weeks, they get gobbled up to fast!

these are the anise cookies I used get at the Italian bakeries in NYC and I couldn't be happier with the recipe. mangia!

 
Mimi, I have had it since it came out and love it ...>

I have tried many, many recipes and all are wonderful and well written. It is a gem of a book. My only complaint is that it is a paperback. Would have loved a hard cover book, but, perhaps it was too expensive at the time? I highly recommend it. Please read some of the reviews at Amazon, or B & N and see what others have said.

Gay

 
hi Gay, the difference between the two recipes (mine & your's) is interesting. the cookbook

says that Anicini is a Tuscan recipe. I wonder what region Sweet Maria's is from.

Tess, you should try them both to see which is closest to what you remember and report back smileys/smile.gif

 
I have never asked, but it does seem to me that store many store bought biscotti are not twice...

baked. My thought is that it is because of keeping qualities. The trays of these cookies are abundantly filled and can't be sold in less than a few weeks. I wonder if they don't just let them stale in the cases to get that texture. I agree with Tess that you rarely see any color on any of these types of cookies---in Italian bakeries.

 
Just to confuse matters a little more REC: Biscotti di Anice from Mary Ann Esposito...

Anise Cookie (Biscotti di Anice)

Recipe By : Mary Ann Esposito

1 cup whole almonds -- unblanched
3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour -- sifted
2 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 1/3 tablespoons butter
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons anise extract

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.

Spread the almonds on an ungreased cookie sheet and toast them for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and rub the mixture with your hands until it has the texture of coarse corn meal.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs well with a whisk or electric mixer. Beat in the sugar, then the anise extract. Stir in the flour mixture and mix until a firm dough is formed. Add the almonds and knead into the dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 12-x-3-inch rectangular loaf. Place the loaves on the greased cookie sheets and bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch and puffed and light golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Cut each loaf on the diagonal into 1-inch slices. Place the slices on their sides on the cookie sheets and bake them for about 7 minutes on each side, or until toasted and golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

The cookies will keep in an airtight container for several weeks.

Source:
"CIAO ITALIA"

 
Randi, The difference I believe is the nuts. The cookies Tess is referring ..

too are the same ones I grew up with. My parents were from Pa. and the cookies do not contain nuts. It is a regional difference, the new york bakers also don't use nuts in the anise biscotti. Perhaps, Charlie is out there and can comment on this. It is very interesting. I guess there are as many different recipes as there are dialects in Italy.

I must try your recipe someday as it sounds very good.

Gay

 
Charlie, See my post above I was looking for your input. I also must say,....>

that the Anise Biscotti from Jerry's in Englewood are my favorite and we always buy at least two boxes
whenever we go. I just can't get enough of them. They are done to perfection and are the exact recipe of my youth.

 
I'm adding to the confusion. I used to get them at the Bleeker St. bakery and I'm pretty sure

I remember sliced almonds in them. but then, I'm wrong about a lot of things these days as my DH would be happy elaborate on.... "-))

anyway, I digress, the recipe I posted and the ones from Bleeker St. are a bit darker than Tess is describing. I think I'll have to make both recipes the next time I'm cooking a big Italian dinner for friends.

 
Is that the bakery next to Rocco's? Now you have me curious to find out...

The bakeries in Jersey usually offer a few kinds of biscotti: plain anise, light vanilla with almonds, a dark spicy type with mixed nuts, and sometimes chocolate biscotti.

The differences are probably regional.

 
no, and Donato sold it about 10 years ago and there may be another bakery in there

but I'm not sure of that. Donato owns the trattoria and the bella something resturant next to it.

the bakery was on the north side of Bleeker, accross and up a block from John's. we were friends and on those cold and bleak winter days I would get a cappacino and go downstairs and sit on sacks and watch them make the pasteries. Donato always had something "special" to add to my coffee. wonderful memories smileys/smile.gif

 
ah, I'm pretty sure it's Bella Villagio and the trattoria is right next to it. I do remember you

recommended it about 5 years ago when I was heading back to NYC for a visit. we had dinner there, another cold and rainy winter day. I was so surprised and so thrilled when Donato walked in and then I found out it was his resturant.

 
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