Everyone loves Grandma’s traditional Spanish, sweet, soft, egg bread, spiced with anise seed and cinnamon sugar (with nutritious sourdough options).
A Little Spanish Heritage
My grandma is from Spain. When she was a little girl they moved from Spain to Argentina and then eventually she moved to California. Her name was Carmen.
We have a few recipes that really remind me of her. This recipe is hers and every time I eat it, it makes me think of her kitchen and my mom’s kitchen and Christmas.
Anise seed is not a spice I use often, so anytime I eat it in anything it reminds me of this bread.
When we first moved to New Mexico, at Christmas time I was given a famous New Mexican Biscochito cookie. (Here’s a great recipe if you want more anise in your life.) They were named the New Mexico state cookie back in the 1980’s and they are made and sold every year around Christmas.
Anise Seed
I asked a native New Mexican about the cookies and they said the Spanish colonists that settled New Mexico are the ones that brought the cookie to New Mexico way back in the 1500’s. I figured out the connection.
I’m sure anise is used in many places, not just Spain and probably should be used in my kitchen more often with its generous list of health benefits.
When I did a little research online, it says anise has been known to help with anything from upset stomach, seizures, runny noses, milk flow for nursing mothers to menstrual cramps. And the list continued from there.
Apparently, it’s a pretty amazing little seed.
Grandma’s Recipes are the Best
My favorite thing about this recipe is the vague amounts and directions. That’s just how grandma’s cook – a little of this and a sprinkle of that.
Most of the ingredients had some sort of measurement but the anise seed says – “1/3 of a tall box of whole anise seed”. Over the years we have decided that amounts to about 3 tablespoons of anise. My mom says when she puts that amount in, it taste just like when her mom made it.
The other ingredient with vague directions is the flour. All it says is “flour”. Grandma is looking down from heaven shouting, “Good luck posterity! I believe in you!”
I’ll give you a few helpful amounts below so you don’t have to guess.
Tweaking Traditions So We All Can Enjoy
Now, in order for us to really enjoy this bread, I have converted it to sourdough. The sour flavor doesn’t come through in the final product since it is a sweet bread. The sugar helps counteract the tang. I will give you the original recipe if you prefer to use regular yeast.
We also have to make some dairy free swaps. Its easy and simple and you can’t tell in the least that it has been changed. We swap the evaporated milk for canned coconut milk.
If you need to be egg free in your house, this might not be the right recipe for you. It is heavy on the eggs and to remove them might alter the texture of the bread.
Let’s get to our recipe. First, I’ll give you grandma’s original recipe and then I’ll show you how we tweak it with our version of her recipe.
Grandma’s Spanish Anise Bread
1 2/3 cup oil
1/3 of a taller metal box of anise seed
8 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1-14 oz can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons salt
3 cups warm water
3 tablespoons yeast
flour
milk
cinnamon sugar
Our Tweaked Version
1 2/3 cup good quality coconut oil
3 tablespoons anise seed
8 eggs
1 2/3 cup coconut sugar (can use up to half honey without changing the flavor or texture)
1-14 oz can coconut milk
2 tablespoons salt
2 cups warm water
2 cups sourdough starter
14-16 cups all-purpose flour (I use organic, unbleached)
almond milk for brushing the top
cinnamon sugar (I make it with maple sugar or turbinado. Coconut sugar browned too quickly)
Directions
In a small saucepan, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add anise seed. Remove from heat and let cool.
In another large bowl, add eggs, sugar, milk and salt. Beat together well.
In a third bowl mix together water and yeast or sourdough starter. Add yeast mixture and anise mixture into the egg mixture. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. You should be able to touch it without much, if any dough sticking to your finger but don’t over flour it.
Alternatively, you can mix the dough in a stand mixer. I use a Bosch. I put all the ingredients in with 10 cups of flour and then add flour cup by cup until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.
Next, move dough to a large Tupperware or glass bowl and cover with a lightly placed lid or plastic wrap. Let dough rise until double. Form circular or oval loaves on cookie sheet. Let rise again until double then brush with milk. Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until the tops are slightly brown. I like to test for doneness with a thermometer. It needs to be just about 180 degrees internally to be done. Enjoy! Yummy just as is or toasted with butter and cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top.
By the way, this recipe can easily be cut in half. It makes a lot!
