Fennel Pollen Shortbread

In an article for Saveur, the food writer Peggy Knickerbocker wrote, "If angels sprinkled a spice from their wings, this would be it." We couldn't agree more. Anything that resembles fennel in its sweet anise flavor is a winner but fennel pollen goes above and beyond. It’s as if it takes all that is good with that subtly sweet licorice essence and makes it a thousand times better. The aroma is floral and intoxicating.

Ingredients

• butter, softened  ·  3/4 pound 
• sugar  ·  1 cup 
• flour  ·  3½  cups 
• kosher salt  ·  1¼  teaspoons 
• Herbie's Fennel Pollen, plus more for rolling  ·  ½ teaspoon 

Instructions

In an article for Saveur, the food writer Peggy Knickerbocker wrote, "If angels sprinkled a spice from their wings, this would be it."  We couldn’t agree more.  Anything that resembles fennel in its sweet anise flavor is a winner but fennel pollen goes above and beyond.  It’s as if it takes all that is good with that subtly sweet licorice essence and makes it a thousand times better. The aroma is floral and intoxicating. 

Serve them with our Balsamic, Garlic & Herb Jam and a soft blue cheese like our Saint Agur or Echo Mountain and the angels will be singing.  In one bite you will taste sweet, salty, smoky and a soft vinegar bite. The finishing taste is the fennel pollen as it lingers on the tongue, just hanging there.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined.

Add the fennel pollen.

In a medium bowl, sift together, with a whisk, flour and salt; then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture.

Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.

Roll into a log about 2 inches in diameter.

Sprinkle a generous amount of fennel pollen to cover the log.

Cover in wax paper or parchment and chill until firm.

Carefully slice the log into 1/4″ cookies, placing them  on an sheet pan covered with parchment paper.

Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges begin to brown.

Allow to cool to room temperature.