Add a kick to your favorite recipes with Chinese five-spice, the spicy star of Rebecca Firth’s (of the blog DisplacedHousewife) “Take Five” recipe collection in our November/December 2017 issue.
What it is:
Chinese five-spice powder consists of five or more spices— most commonly star anise, cloves, Cinnamomum cassia (Chinese cinnamon), Szechuan peppercorns, ginger, and fennel seeds. A little goes a long way with this mixture, but it’ll really liven up recipes, especially when paired with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, or nutmeg.
Why We Love It:
Versatility: Chinese five-spice has a unique flavor profile but is quite versatile. It often pulls double duty in savory—think Cantonese roast duck or richly spiced beef stew—and sweet dishes. You’ll find it in Rebecca’s Spiced Chinese Almond Cookies from our Holiday Cookies 2018 special issue.
Accessibility: It’s easily attainable. The spice blend is available in most grocery stores and in Asian markets. Finally! An unusual ingredient that eliminates the hassle of specialty store shopping.
What to Pair It With:
Molasses: The sticky syrup with notes of rich caramel pairs wonderfully with a dash of five-spice.
Streusels: The crunchy topping that makes everything better is ready for a spicy upgrade. Next time you’re whipping up a batch of streusel, mix in some Chinese five-spice for a little kick.
Tart fruit compotes: In our five-spice recipe collection, you’ll note a tart theme running throughout. What do Spiced Cranberry Scones with Tangerine Glaze, Pink Peppercorn Madeleines with Five-Spice Pomegranate Glaze, and Satsuma Marmalade Hand Pies all have in common? A tangy fruit element that benefits from a warm hit of five-spice heat.
[…] love it so much, I wrote this feature for Bake From Scratch magazine about it (they link off to several of the recipes I created for this piece as well — go […]
[…] seeds. I wrote a collection of five-spice recipes for Bake From Scratch magazine, you can see it here (including links to some of the recipes). I also have recipes for Five-Spice Cranberries, […]