Saturday, November 8, 2008

8 Weeks of Cookies - Anise Mandelbrot

My parents are coming to visit us over Christmas so I'm preparing by baking a batch of cookies a week to freeze & bring out when everyone is here. This week I baked Mandelbrot.
Anise Mandelbrot
Mandelbrot is a twice baked Eastern European cookie that is similar to biscotti but not as hard. I had my parents email me the recipe that my family has always used, I can't tell you where it is from other than it was clipped out of a newspaper at one time. I don't think this is a very traditional mandelbrot recipe. The name means almond bread in Yiddish & our recipe calls for walnuts. Most other recipes I've seen for this call for baking soda while ours uses no leavening agent. The biggest difference is that a lot of mandelbrot recipes use lemon zest as a flavoring & ours uses anise seeds. The flavor of anise is what a really love about these cookies. Matt & I were laughing about that as we were baking these cookies because I don't like licorice!
Anise Mandelbrot
These cookies would be great served for dessert with a cup of coffee or a hot cocoa to dip them in. 

Anise Mandelbrot

1 c sugar
3/4 c canola oil
3 eggs
3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 t anise seeds
1 c finely chopped nuts (I used half walnuts & half almonds)

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

In a large mixing bowl beat the sugar, oil & eggs together on medium speed until well blended. Add in the flour, salt & anise seeds & mix well. Stir in the nuts.

Divide the dough in half & on a cookie sheet form two 12" x 3" loaves three inches apart. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven & cut the loaves into 1/2-inch slices. Turn the slices on their sides & return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Turn the cookies to the other side & bake another 10 minutes until evenly browned.

Makes 48 cookies

12 comments:

Stacey Snacks said...

Kat,
I like the addition of anise in your mandel (as we used to call it!).
I use anise in my biscotti.
Glad you posted your mandel recipe.
My mom's is different. I like yours better, but don't tell!

PG said...

I'll have to show this recipe to Giz. Looks right up her alley.

You've been tagged!

eatingclubvancouver_js said...

I've never had mandelbrot before. Your mandelbrot look great.

I'm the same way: I don't like licorice but I can take a little bit of the licorice-y flavour in fennel or anise. I guess we should amend that to we don't like licorice that much.

Stephen Gross said...

I really love your blog! We have belonged to HVF for two seasons now. Every week, we get a delivery and wonder: "What should we do with all this?" Now that I know about your blog, I don't have to wonder: I just cook whatever you're making!

We made the stuffed-kabocha, and it was ridiculously fantastic. We are going to make the chickpea soup this week, as well as the shepherd's pie. Should be good!

Thanks again,
--Steve & Tara
(mrstevegross@gmail.com)

Anonymous said...

I've had biscotti, but not mandelbrot -- I do like the idea of something just as tasty as biscotti but with a softer bite :). These look tasty, a perfect treat for a family get-together!

Lori said...

These look so good. I would love to have a couple of those with my coffee tomorrow morning!

giz said...

So up my alley - I've never tried mandelbrot with anise - sounds pretty interesting to me.

Deborah said...

I've never even heard of mandelbrot before, but it sounds delicious. What a great idea to make so many cookies and freeze them.

Peter M said...

Another form of biscotti and anise works wonderfully in them!

grace said...

what a fun endeavor! i hope you have a large freezer... :)

Anonymous said...

I'm liking it since you said it's not that hard. I hate it when biscotti cuts into the roof of my mouth. (Mainly because I eat it too fast.)

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