Anise Cookies Recipe - Greek Fennel or Anise Cookies | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between anise and fennel? ›

Despite their similar appearance, fennel and anise do have distinct flavors. Fennel has a sweet, delicate flavor with a hint of licorice, while anise has a stronger, more pronounced licorice flavor. Both plants are also used for their seeds, which have a more intense flavor than the leaves or stalks.

Fennel, both fresh and the seed, tastes very licorice-like, so anise is the perfect swap when it comes to swapping out fennel seed. Star anise works especially well in brines or marinades where the spices are left whole; use one star anise pod per teaspoon of whole fennel seed.

Whether you use fennel seeds for pickling vegetables, seasoning sausage or making a crust for fish or beef, you'll soon realize that these aromatic seeds can elevate the most basic recipes. Fennel seeds also offer vitamins, minerals and fiber, so you can feel good about working them into your weekly meal plan.

Use as a spice: Due to their similar flavor profile, fennel seeds and anise are common substitutes for one another in the kitchen to bring a black licorice flavor to dishes.

The major culinary difference between anise and star anise is that anise seed is potent, with an almost spicy flavor, while star anise is subtly milder. They can be used interchangeably in recipes, but amounts must be adjusted to accommodate the mildness of the Asian ingredient.

Take a handful of fennel seeds and soak them in a glass full of water. Let it rest overnight and drink it in the morning. It enhances the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body and thereby helps one reduce weight.

You'll get more flavour out of fennel seeds by grinding or toasting them. To grind, either crush in a pestle and mortar, put in a sealed food bag and bash with a rolling pin, or whizz to a powder in a clean coffee grinder.

Both the flavorful, crunchy bulb and aromatic seeds of the fennel plant are highly nutritious and may offer an abundance of impressive health benefits. Adding them to your diet may improve heart health, reduce inflammation, suppress appetite, and even provide anticancer effects.

Overview. Anise is an herb. The seed (fruit) and oil, and less frequently the root and leaf, are used to make medicine. Anise is used for upset stomach, intestinal gas, “runny nose,” and as an expectorant to increase productive cough, as a diuretic to increase urine flow, and as an appetite stimulant.

Anise tends to be spicy and a little sweet. Licorice, on the other hand, can be bitter, salty, and even sour. They smell similarly because they both have anethole, which is an organic flavoring compound. Anethole is also in star anise and fennel, which are also known to taste similar to licorice and anise.

What part of anise do we eat? ›

While the plant's leaves and roots are also edible, it's most well-known for its small, brown seeds. They look very similar to fennel seeds, although they are significantly smaller. The seeds can be used whole, or they can be ground into a powder. They have a sweet, fragrant aroma with a strong, licorice-like taste.