Zuccherini Montanari

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Electric mixer or stand mixer
• •Wire cooling racks
• •Small dry skillet for toasting seeds
• •Baking sheets with parchment paper

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the anise seeds

   Place the anise seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan frequently until the seeds become fragrant and darken slightly, about 2 minutes. Watch them. They burn quickly. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool, then crush lightly with the flat of a knife. You want pieces, not powder.

2. 2

   Cream butter and sugar

   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes with an electric mixer. The mixture should hold soft peaks when you lift the beater. This aeration gives the cookies their tender crumb.

   The butter must be properly softened, which means it yields to gentle pressure but holds its shape. Cold butter will not cream. Melted butter produces a different texture entirely.
3. 3

   Add eggs and flavorings

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture may look curdled. It will come together. Beat in the anise liqueur, crushed anise seeds, and lemon zest. The bowl should smell strongly of anise now.

4. 4

   Mix the dry ingredients

   Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed until just combined after each. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Do not overmix. Overworked dough makes tough cookies.

5. 5

   Rest the dough

   Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The dough must be cool enough to handle but not so cold that it cracks when shaped. If it becomes too firm, let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Shape the rings

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Working with small portions of dough, roll pieces into ropes about 10cm long and the thickness of your finger. Bring the ends together to form rings, pressing gently to seal. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 3cm apart.

   If the dough sticks, dust your hands lightly with flour. But only lightly. Too much flour dries the surface and prevents the glaze from adhering properly.
7. 7

   Bake until pale gold

   Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cookies are done when the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are set but still pale. They will firm as they cool. Do not overbake. A dry cookie cannot be rescued.

8. 8

   Cool completely

   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. They must be completely cool before glazing. Warm cookies will melt the glaze into a sticky mess rather than forming the characteristic shell.

9. 9

   Make the glaze

   Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Add the anise extract and 3 tablespoons warm water. Whisk until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable, like heavy cream. Add more water by the teaspoon if needed. It will set quickly, so work efficiently.

10. 10

    Glaze the cookies

    Set a wire rack over a sheet pan to catch drips. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze, letting the excess drip off for a moment, then flip glazed-side up onto the rack. Alternatively, spoon glaze over each cookie, spreading with the back of the spoon. Let the glaze set completely, at least one hour, before storing.

    The glaze will crack as it dries. This is traditional. The cracks reveal the tender crumb beneath and create the visual signature of authentic zuccherini montanari.

Chef Tips

• •Use real anise liqueur, not artificially flavored substitutes. Sambuca, Anesone, or Italian anisette provides the authentic flavor. In a pinch, ouzo will do, though the Greek spirit has a slightly different character.
• •The cookies keep for three weeks in an airtight tin. The glaze protects them. Do not refrigerate, which softens the glaze and ruins the texture.
• •Mountain women often made these in autumn and stored them for winter. The recipe doubles easily. Make a full batch and have cookies ready for unexpected guests or cold evenings when you need something sweet with coffee.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be refrigerated for up to two days before shaping. Let it warm slightly at room temperature before rolling.
• •Unbaked shaped rings can be frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.
• •Glazed cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container for three weeks. The texture actually improves after a day or two as the glaze fully hardens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 35g)