Lucky Pig Star Anise Dinner Rolls for New Year’s Eve

How cute are these lucky rolls for your New Year’s dinner or brunch table? Let’s face it, 2016 has been a really tough year both in the USA and globally. We all could use some luck ammo going into the New Year.

Last year I made Lucky Pig Breads with Plum Jam Filling. For this last post of 2016, I’m simplifying things with a simple pig shaped dinner roll recipe spiked with star anise flavor. The rolls are made with a combination of white and whole wheat flour. The star anise flavor adds a seasonal warm spice touch.

This holiday has been fraught with a stone floor installation that stole Christmas, a busted furnace that threatened our New Year’s eve celebration and a series of other super annoying events, including a minor car accident and a broken computer.

However, I am well aware these are first world problems and tried to plow through each one without getting too cranky. There is, after all, SO much to be grateful for, most of all for my delicious amazing husband and an astounding, brilliant, talented, funny circle of friends whose love just won’t quit.

I’ve had some incredible trips in the past year, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sudan, Dubai, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Now 2017 is shaping up with some exciting and exotic destinations both for work and pleasure. I’m excited and looking forward.

So stone floor, be damned. I am throwing down a traditional raclette dinner tonight. There will be lots of “lucky” traditions observed, including sharing lucky marzipan pigs.

These lucky pig rolls are easy to throw together. I combined two types of flour I had on hand and added some fragrant star anise powder.

Just make sure you work the fairly long rise time of over 3 hours into your cooking schedule and you’ll be all set up for bringing luck into your home for the new year.

Have a wonderful New Year’s celebration! See you on the flip side.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon ground star anise powder
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1+1/8 teaspoons of dry yeast
• 32 whole cloves

Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, ground anise and yeast.
• Pour the water over the mixture and knead into a smooth dough.
• Form the dough into a ball and lightly sprinkle with flour.
• Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a damp dishcloth.
• Let stand for 2-3 hours.
• Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
• On each ball, do the following: pinch off a small piece of dough and shape it into a flat disk. Attach it to the front of the large round piece. Push 2 of the cloves into the small disk for nostrils. Push two more into the dough above the snout for eyes. Pinch the top on either side and pull up to create ears.
• Place all the pig-shaped rolls on the baking sheet. Recover with a damp cloth and let stand for another 20 minutes. You may have to reshape the pigs after this second rise.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Place the rolls in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
• Remove from oven, transfer to a baking rack to cool.