Mixed raisins and Aegina pistachios biscuits scented with ouzo and fennel

Semi crunchy, lightly sweet and very aromatic, thanks to the fennel seeds, these cuties are really delicious! These biscuits (or cookies for the Americans) are ideal to have as a sweet snack or with your tea, coffee or even with milk! An all-seasons little sweet treat which both adults and children can enjoy anytime during the day

Recipe of Kostas Tsigas,

"Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 24 pieces):
300 gr. of all-purpose flour

1 ¼ tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

1 tsp of ground fennel seeds

1 tbsp of ouzo

50 gr. of blond raisins
50 gr. of dark raisins

100 gr. of Aegina pistachios, roughly chopped (unsalted)

1/2 tsp of salt

180 gr. of butter

150 gr. of granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

Method:

Mix in a large bowl the flour with the salt, the baking powder, the pistachios and the raisins.

Using an electric hand mixer beat in another bowl the butter with the sugar until you have a creamy and pale in colour mixture. Add the beaten egg and continue beating for another 2 minutes.

Add in this bowl the flour mixture, the ground fennel, the vanilla extract and the ouzo and continue beating until you have a homogeneous mixture.

Take the dough out of the bowl and transfer on a clean surface. Divide into 2 pieces and form the dough into thick cylinders. Wrap each one tightly with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours or in the freezer for 1 hour so to firm up.

Before baking, preheat the oven to 180°C and lay an oven tray with baking paper.

Cut the dough into about 1 cm thick slices. Arrange the biscuits on the tray leaving plenty of space between them and put in the oven.

Bake for about 12 minutes until they are lightly coloured. *** Don't overbake because they will turn quite hard.

Take out of the oven and transfer on metal rack to cool down. Store in an airtight container or a biscuit metal box.