Biscochitos - flour

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, cream lard with sugar and freshly ground anise seeds until fluffy.
• (This is a very important step!
• You want a lot of air incorporated into the lard because it helps make the cookies lighter.
• ).
• Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Mix in flour mixture and white wine until well blended.
• Refrigerate 1-2 hours.
• Turn dough out on a floured surface and roll out desire thickness (I usually like it between 1/8-1/4 of an inch thick).
• Cut into shapes.
• Mix the 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp of cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Dip tops of the cut out cookies in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges turn a golden color.
• Remove from oven and immediately dip cookies again in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Place cookies on cooling sheet and allow to cool completely.
• (If you try to eat them while they're still warm, they will taste like lard-- not fun!
• ).
• Variation: You can also "paint" the cookies with a mixture of 1/2 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk and food coloring (red or green).
• With a paint brush, put a heavy coat on top of cut out cookies (for this variation, it's usually the shape of a chile/chili).
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then bake for 10-12 minutes.