One of my favorite snacks as a child was Stella D'Oro Anisette Sponge Cookies. Shaped like biscotti, they were crisp on the outside, but soft, slightly dry, and spongey on the inside - like pannetone. Perfect for dunking. They were my grandmother's favorite cookie, and when she would ask my brother, sister, and I what we wanted for merienda (meaning "afternoon snack" in Spanish), I would always yell, "Stella Dora! Stella Dora!"
[Funny fact: I googled, "Stella Dora" when I first started researching for this post. Old habits die hard, apparently.]
It may seem odd that an eight-year old would choose a licorice-flavored boat-shaped cookie over chocolate chip, double stuffed Oreos, or chewy oatmeal raisin. But spending as much time as I did with my grandmother, who raised my siblings and I while both my parents worked full-time, a lot of her likes and dislikes when it came to food rubbed off on me. Which looking back, I'm totally grateful for. Early on, I was instilled with an appreciation for flavors off the beaten path and foods I would never find in my classmates' lunch bags - an appreciation that richly inspires my creative process today when it comes to cooking and baking.
So, in honor of all those lazy afternoons dunking "Stella Dora" with my grandmother, I present today's recipe.
Fennel Sugar Cookies with Cracked Pepper
Gluten-Free & Vegan
Active Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: at least 4 hours
Baking Time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: approx. 36 tablespoon-sized cookies
1 heaping tablespoon ground golden flax seed
3 tablespoons hot water
1 1/4 c (180g) Bob's Red Mill GF all-purpose flour
scant 1/3 c (30g) quinoa flour
1 teaspoon GF baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon whole psyllium husk
8 tablespoons (116g) Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
generous 3/4 c (116g) blonde coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh fennel frond, minced
coconut sugar, to garnish
fresh cracked pepper, to garnish
1. Combine ground flax and hot water to make your flax "egg" and set aside for 3-5 minutes.
2. Combine all dry ingredients, from the all-purpose flour to psyllium husk, in a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.
3. In another bowl, with a whisk or hand mixer, cream softened vegan butter and coconut sugar until lighter in both color and consistency (nearly fluffy). Add remaining wet ingredients, including flax egg, crushed fennel seed, and fennel frond, and mix to combine.
4. Gradually add dry mixture to wet mixture until combined thoroughly. The dough will be quite soft and sticky. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, to give the flours a chance to hydrate and to really let the fennel flavors come together. I chilled mine overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Make tablespoon-sized balls of the dough, spaced about 2 inches apart, and flatten them to about 1/3 inch in height.
7. Garnish with more coconut sugar and a sprinkling of fresh cracked pepper (about a quarter turn per cookie if using a peppermill), and lightly tap the sugar and pepper into the surface of the dough.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack or plate.
I love the fennel flavors in this cookie, particularly the contrast of dried with fresh. The dried imparts a more pungent anise flavor, almost tart, with hints of amaretto, while the frond is rounder and sweeter in character. The black pepper gives it that subtle spice that helps to differentiate the flavors on the palate, making them cohesive, but keeping them from being muddled. And the texture of the cookies is so pleasing. Happy tastebuds.
Active Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: at least 4 hours
Baking Time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: approx. 36 tablespoon-sized cookies
1 heaping tablespoon ground golden flax seed
3 tablespoons hot water
1 1/4 c (180g) Bob's Red Mill GF all-purpose flour
scant 1/3 c (30g) quinoa flour
1 teaspoon GF baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon whole psyllium husk
8 tablespoons (116g) Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
generous 3/4 c (116g) blonde coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh fennel frond, minced
coconut sugar, to garnish
fresh cracked pepper, to garnish
1. Combine ground flax and hot water to make your flax "egg" and set aside for 3-5 minutes.
2. Combine all dry ingredients, from the all-purpose flour to psyllium husk, in a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.
3. In another bowl, with a whisk or hand mixer, cream softened vegan butter and coconut sugar until lighter in both color and consistency (nearly fluffy). Add remaining wet ingredients, including flax egg, crushed fennel seed, and fennel frond, and mix to combine.
4. Gradually add dry mixture to wet mixture until combined thoroughly. The dough will be quite soft and sticky. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, to give the flours a chance to hydrate and to really let the fennel flavors come together. I chilled mine overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Make tablespoon-sized balls of the dough, spaced about 2 inches apart, and flatten them to about 1/3 inch in height.
7. Garnish with more coconut sugar and a sprinkling of fresh cracked pepper (about a quarter turn per cookie if using a peppermill), and lightly tap the sugar and pepper into the surface of the dough.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack or plate.
 |
| Helpful to chop the dried fennel with the fennel frond to keep it in place. |
 |
| Wet ingredients getting tastier by the moment. |
 |
| The texture of the pre-chilled dough is almost taffy-like. |
 |
| Adding the piece de resistance. |
 |
| Stunning for both the eyes and the tastebuds. |
I love the fennel flavors in this cookie, particularly the contrast of dried with fresh. The dried imparts a more pungent anise flavor, almost tart, with hints of amaretto, while the frond is rounder and sweeter in character. The black pepper gives it that subtle spice that helps to differentiate the flavors on the palate, making them cohesive, but keeping them from being muddled. And the texture of the cookies is so pleasing. Happy tastebuds.
Comments
Post a Comment