Anise Balls Recipes

BEST EVER ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Shape into small meatballs.
• Drop the meatballs into simmering sauce. It is important not to stir the sauce for at least 25 minutes. This will allow the meatballs to firm up enough as not to break up in the sauce. Make sure your burner is low enough so that your sauce does not scorch during this process.
• Continue simmering until sauce reaches desired consistency and meatballs are cooked through.

EASY STRUFFOLI RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix the flour, lemon and orange zest, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
• In a food processor, mix the dry ingredients with butter. Blend until all the lumps of butter are almost gone. The mixture should resemble a coarse meal.
• Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract. Blend until the dough becomes something that resembles a big ball.
• Cover the dough with a saran wrap and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• Next, roll the dough into thick cords of about a quarter of inch thick. Cut the dough into portions of about half an inch and roll each into small balls. Each dough ball should be about the size of a regular hazelnut.
• Lightly dust the dough balls with flour. Make sure to cover every one but make sure not to put too much flour.
• In a saucepan, put some oil over medium heat. Keep track of the temperature using a thermometer. Heat it up until it reaches 375° Fahrenheit.
• Fry the dough balls in batches. It should take around two to three minutes per batch. Dough balls should be a light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, line a serving plate with paper towels.
• Once the dough balls are done, place them on the plate and let the paper towels absorb the excess oil.
• Combine honey, lemon juice, rum (or brandy), and sugar in a saucepan. Cook the mixture under medium heat.
• Continuously stir the honey mixture with a spatula, and cook until all the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Once it's done, turn off the heat and add the fried dough balls carefully into the mixture. Stir the mixture carefully, making sure not to damage the dough.
• Once all the dough balls are covered with the honey mixture, transfer them to a serving plate. Set the remaining mixture aside.
• Meanwhile, arrange the dough balls around the serving platter, leaving a hole at the center. You may place a glass in the middle so that you can estimate the hole you are creating. You can also simply make a mound of dough balls at the center, if you want an easier assembly.
• After you've assembled the dough balls on the serving plate, carefully pour some of the remaining honey mixture on top. Put as much as you prefer.
• Next, cover the dough balls immediately with sprinkles, confectioner's sugar, or any other edible decorations on top.
• Serve immediately!

ANISE BALLS

Steps:

• Cream together Crisco, sugar, eggs and anise oil.
• Add flour and baking powder. Mix well.
• Refrigerate 1 hour. (Dough will be very soft).
• Drop by small spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• I like to frost them with a French vanilla or buttercream frosting. If I am using frosting from a can, I frost them when ready to eat. At Christmas, I use red or green frosting.

ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and white sugar. Make a well in the center and add oil, milk, 1 tablespoon anise extract, and eggs. Mix together until dough is sticky.
• Oil fingers and pinch off dough in 1 inch pieces. Roll into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart, flatten top slightly. Bake for 8 minutes. Dip cookies in Icing while warm.
• To Make Icing: Blend in 1 teaspoon anise extract and enough hot water to 1 cup confectioner's sugar to form a smooth icing.

STRUFFOLI - TRADITIONAL ITALIAN HONEY BALLS

Steps:

• Let the butter soften 30 minutes into the oven turned off with the light on, then cut it into pieces and stir with a fork until smooth and inflated.
• After that, grate the lemon and orange to obtain zests.
• Now, crack the eggs and pour them into a bowl along with the sugar, the softened butter, the lemon and orange zests, 2 drops of Rum or Brandy, 1 drop of Anise flavor, and 1 pinch of salt.
• Finally, whisk until consistent.
• Add the flour, a little at a time into the butter and eggs mixture.
• Pouring the flour, pinch the dough with your fingers until the liquid will be absorbed by the flour, creating a sort of pastry crumbs.
• Now, compact and stretch out the crumbs until obtaining a consistent dough.
• Eventually, wrap the dough ant store into the lower part of the fridge at least 2 hours.
• Take a fistful of dough and roll it into a log 1/2 inch thick.
• Now, reduce the log into pieces 1/2 inch long. After that, pour the sesame oil into a pot and place over medium heat until reach 356° F (180° C).
• Eventually, fry the Struffoli a little at a time until golden, then place on paper towels to dry the oil in excess.
• Pour the honey into a nonstick pan, big enough to contain Struffoli.
• Place the pan over low heat and stir until fluid.
• Finally, place the pan far from the heat and add Struffoli and sweet decorations.
• It is possible to serve Struffoli just prepared, but the following days they will be even more delicious!