TROMP L'OEIL "TOASTS"

By BobD

Ingredients

• TOASTED ANISE-SEED CAKE SLICES (TROMPE L'OEIL "TOASTS")
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 jumbo eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons anise seeds, finely crushed
• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter and flour an 8- by 4- by 3-inch loaf pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and thick enough to form a ribbon that takes 2 seconds to dissolve when beater is lifted, 12 to 18 minutes.

Sift flour mixture over egg mixture in 3 batches, folding in each batch. Gently stir in cooled butter and anise seeds.

Immediately pour into loaf pan and smooth top. Bake until top is golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool loaf 5 minutes, then invert onto a cutting board and cool 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, increase oven temperature to 400F.

Trim ends of loaf and cut loaf crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Bake on a baking sheet until undersides are golden brown, about 7 minutes.

Turn toasts over and bake until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes more.

COOKS NOTE: Loaf can be baked (but not sliced and toasted) 2 days ahead and kept, wrapped in foil, at room temperature or frozen 1 month. Slice and toast just before serving.