Easy Anise Biscotti Recipe - Mangia Bedda (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for anise seed in biscotti? ›

The Closest Relative: Fennel Seeds

Another good substitute for anise! Fennel seeds are from the same Apiaceae family as anise seeds. They are flower seeds and have almost the same licorice flavor so that they can be interchangeable.

Because the dough can be sticky and hard to form, it's important to chill the batter for a good 30 minutes before baking the first time.

Biscotti History

In medieval Italy, a variation of biscotti known as cantuccini was created in the Tuscan town of Prato. This version of biscotti was made with almonds and was typically enjoyed with a sweet dessert wine like vin santo.

For crumble-free cutting, spray baked biscotti logs with water. Once your biscotti logs are baked it's time to slice them — hopefully without crumbling! I like to mist the logs with water and wait 5 minutes, then cut.

Star anise is stronger than anise seed, so if using anise seed as a substitute for star anise you'll want to use ½ teaspoon of anise seeds in replacement for one whole star anise.

Substitutions for Anise

Fennel seeds and star anise are both great substitutes for anise seed. Fresh fennel bulbs and fronds also offer a similar flavor profile, but are milder tasting and not as conveniently substituted in various dishes.

Just like biscuits, you can't overmix the dough. I found that if the dough is mixed too much, the biscotti becomes dense and heavy.

Baking soda – baking soda helps the biscotti rise and spread. Make sure that your baking soda isn't expired. Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

Biscotti can be either the traditional Italian type which is very crunchy and intended for dunking in coffee, tea, or wine. Or they can be the softer American type, eaten like any cookie. The Italian type keeps longer and has no butter, so they are much lower calorie and very low fat.

How long will homemade biscotti last? ›

How Long Does Biscotti Last? Your homemade biscotti will last for up to one month in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to keep the biscotti longer, you can freeze it for up to three months.

Italians use the word biscotti when referring to products that Americans call cookies. The word cantucci is used by Italians when referring to the product Americans call biscotti.

The choice is yours; just keep in mind that those made with butter or oil will have both a softer texture and a shorter shelf life. As for fillings and flavors, biscotti get along with a host of ingredients, including dried fruit, nuts, spices, liqueurs and chocolate.

Baking soda is a leavening agent. It creates air bubbles (technically, carbon dioxide) in your batter, when heated. Without it, your baked goods will not rise to the desired levels and the airy texture you're looking for will be adversely affected.

If you don't think you or your family or friends would like anise flavored cookies, feel free to substitute the anise extract with almond extract or vanilla extract. Any of these choices will make for a delicious holiday cookie that is sure to please!

Typically, they're flavored with Anise extract which resembled black licorice, but this can easily be swapped out for vanilla or almond extract. These Christmas cookies are super simple to make and bake very quickly.

Fennel seed alternatives range from Anise to celery and parsley. Onion artichoke and bok choy are also suitable substitutes in a pinch. Want to have fresh, small batch Fennel on hand for next time? Order Fennel today and have it delivered directly to your door.

If you want to infuse more of your desserts with an interesting, licorice flavor, you can replace vanilla extract in a recipe with anise extract at an equal ratio.