Orange, Anise, and Spelt Shortbread
These aromatic, buttery, not-too-sweet, whole-grain shortbread cookies are a perfect tea-time snack or after-dinner treat. As a kid, I hated the flavor of anise seeds. But as an adult, I can’t get enough of that sweet licorice flavor.
Originally featured in the Chicago Tribune.
If you don’t like anise seeds, substitute them with ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom. I use a lot of whole grains in my baking, and I love the locally grown grains we can get in the Midwest from places such as Janie’s Mill in Ashkum, Illinois. Whole-grain spelt flour gives these treats a nutty flavor and hearty texture. If you can’t find whole-grain spelt flour, this recipe works well with all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour.
Makes about 25 cookies.
Ingredients:
½ teaspoon anise seeds (up to 1 teaspoon if you love the anise like me)
60 g (⅓ cup) sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Zest of one orange, finely grated
115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
180 g (1½ cups) whole-grain spelt flour, plus more for rolling
1 tablespoon sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions:
Crush or coarsely grind the anise seeds using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Combine the crushed anise seeds, sugar, salt and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Use your fingers to rub the orange zest into the sugar, which helps release the flavorful citrus oil.
Add the room-temperature butter to the sugar mixture, and use a wooden spoon to stir until everything is well combined and the butter is creamy (about three minutes). If using a stand mixer, mix with a paddle attachment on medium-low speed for about two minutes.
Add flour and stir to combine — but don’t overmix the dough. If dough seems too sticky, add one or two teaspoons of flour. Squeeze dough into a ball, and place onto a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour.
Dust hands or rolling pin with flour, then gently pat or roll dough into a rectangle, about ¼-inch thick. Neaten up the edges with your hands. Slide the parchment and dough onto a baking sheet, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, with a rack placed on top-third of the oven. Using a large chef’s knife, cut dough into rectangles measuring about 1 inch wide by 2 inches long. (No need to be overly precise, you’re not being judged.) Prick each shortbread with a fork, then sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Space cookies with at least ½-inch of space between them.
Bake the shortbread for 18-22 minutes, until light golden brown on the edges. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Stored in an air-tight container. These are best eaten within four days after baking. (I think they taste best the day after you make them.)
