Turron De Dona Pepa

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, cold
• 3 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons anise water
• 1 lb dark brown sugar (chancaca)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 orange rind (only orange part)
• 6 cloves

Directions

1. 1

   In a boiler, bring chancaca, water, orange rind and cloves to boil. Simmer for 40 minutes until mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water or reaches 238° F (113° C) on a candy thermometer. Cool.

2. 2

   While the syrup is cooking, preheat oven to 350°F.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, mix salt into flour.

4. 4

   Cut butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.

5. 5

   Add egg yolks and aniseed water. Knead dough until soft.

6. 6

   Take small portions of dough and roll, on a ligtly floured surface, into sticks about 1/2 x 9 inches.

7. 7

   Transfer sticks to a greased baking sheet, placing them 1 inch apart.

8. 8

   Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool.

9. 9

   Place sticks on a serving dish, one beside the other, in one layer. Pour cold syrup on top. Place a second layer of sticks crosswise and pour syrup. Repeat a third layer and cover with the rest of syrup.

10. 10

    Decorate with sprinkles or dragees if desired.