- 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon anise extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in almonds. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease the foil. Divide dough in half. On the foil, form dough into two 11-in. x 3-in. rectangles. Bake at 300 degrees F for 35 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven; increase temperature to 325 degrees F. Using the foil, lift the rectangles onto wire racks; cool completely. Place on a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4-in. slices. Place with cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn over; bake 10 minutes longer. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.