Anise Sesame Cookies

The pleasant bite of anise gives these beautiful cookies a grown-up
appeal.

1 tablespoon whole anise seeds
2 tablespoons boiling-hot water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Special equipment: a 2 1/2-inch fluted round cookie cutter

Soak anise seeds in boiling-hot water until most of water is absorbed,
about
15 minutes. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at
medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer
(preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 4 minutes with a handheld.
Beat in 1 egg and anise seeds with any remaining soaking liquid until
combined. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just
combined.

Divide dough into 4 balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Chill
disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 3 hours. Put oven racks
in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350 F. While oven
preheats, roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) on a
well-floured surface with a well-floured rolling pin into a 7-inch round
(slightly less than 1/4 inch thick; if dough becomes too soft to roll out,
chill on a baking sheet until firm). Cut out as many cookies as possible
from dough with cutter and transfer to 2 ungreased large baking sheets,
arranging cookies about 1 inch apart. Beat remaining egg in a small bowl
with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Brush each cookie lightly
with egg wash, then sprinkle with some of sesame seeds. Bake cookies,
switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until bottoms are
golden, 10 to 12 minutes total, then transfer with a metal spatula to
racks to cool completely. Gather scraps and chill until firm enough to
reroll. Make more cookies with remaining dough, scraps (reroll only once),
and sesame seeds, then bake on cooled sheets. Cooks' note: Cookies keep,
layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container
at room temperature 1 week.

Makes about 3 dozen.
Gourmet

Jenn Mom2sam &Tiny

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