Anise Cookies #2

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

Title: ANISE COOKIES #2
Categories: Cookies, Dessert, Italian
Yield: 3 dozen

2 c Flour
2 ts Ground anise seed (or 1 ts
-anise extract)
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/8 ts Salt
1 lg Lemon
2/3 c Sugar
1/2 c Vegetable shortening
5 3/16 tb Unsalted butter
1 Egg yolk
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 tb Sugar (for decoration)
1 ts Ground cinnamon (for decor.)

Thoroughly stir together flour, anise, baking powder, and slat and set
aside. Using a small sharp knife peel a thin layer of zest (without
white membrane) from the entire lemon. Combine lemon zest and sugar
in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until zest is
very finely minced. Add shortening and butter to the processor and
process for one minute. Add egg yolk and vanilla and process 20
seconds longer. Add dry ingredients and continue processing just
until they are blended. Divide dough in half and place each portion
between large sheets of waxed paper and roll out to 1/8 inch thick.
Check the underside of the dough to check for any creases. Slide
dough onto a large tray or baking sheet and refrigerate for 15
minutes, or until the dough is chilled and slightly firm. Preheat
oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease several baking sheets. Work one
half of the dough at at time. Turn the dough over and peel the sheet
of wax paper off of the dough and replace the paper loosely. Then
turn the dough right side up. Peel off and discard the top sheet of
paper. Using assorted 2 1/4 to 3" cookie cutters cut out cookies.
Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until just brown ant
the edges. Remove from the oven and let stand for 3 minutes. Transfer
to wire racks and let stand until cooled completely. Sprinkle cookies
with the decoration mixture.

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