Anise oil and anise extract are two commonly used ingredients that you will find to be used in many dishes. But oftentimes, it can actually be hard to distinguish between the two as people don’t really get the difference between an anise extract and anise oil. Furthermore, it can also be confusing to know when you are supposed to use which ingredient.
Both of these are made from the plant known as star anise. Anise is also known as aniseed or rarely anix. The plant is originally from Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean region. While the taste of smell from it is similar to star anise, you should note that these are different ingredients. This plant is from Southwest China and Vietnam instead and the anise extract is made using it.
Anise Extract
The best thing about this ingredient is that it is available in most stores. There are tons of brands that manufacture bottles for this extract so you should not have much trouble purchasing it. Keep in mind that you can also buy a small bottle and test the taste of anise extract for yourself. This is quite cheap but make sure that you purchase the product from a reliable brand. Depending on what company you buy the extract from, the taste and flavor can vary.
On top of that, you should also notice anise extract to have a kind of sweet taste. Even if most of the varieties found in the market are made using organic ingredients, you can still end up buying anise extract made with artificial flavoring.
One of the most common applications of anise extract that you will find is in baking cookies. Besides this, it is also commonly used in biscotti.
Anise Oil
Anise oil is another famous ingredient that you might have heard about. This can be made by using either the anise seeds or star anise pods. There are tons of uses for this oil including cooking, making chocolates, and even candy. You will notice that this oil is also used for flavoring and even in aromatherapy. This has a licorice flavor and aroma so you should only use the oil when you want a potent oil flavor.
When it comes to substituting anise oil for anise extract, you have to use a much lower quantity. This shows how powerful the flavor for this ingredient is. The oil is simply a natural ingredient made using plants. On the other hand, the extract uses several ingredients along with anise to create a similar taste. Keeping the information provided above in mind, you should easily be able to decide which one will be better for you. In most cases, it is always better that you keep anise oil with you. However, if you are having to try to purchase it then anise extract can be your next option.
Anise oil can be hard to find so you might have to order it online or go through some hassle to purchase it. Aside from this, if you are interested in knowing how strong the oil is compared to the extract. Then you should note that a single tablespoon of anise oil is the same as about 3 tablespoons of the anise extract. The ratio might vary slightly depending on what brand you bought the products from. Considering this, you should try testing around the ingredients slightly to understand how potent their flavor is. This should help you in avoiding most problems in the future.
Can You Substitute Anise Oil With Anise Extract?
Now that we have discussed both the ingredients in detail, one question that might come into your mind is whether they can both be interchanged in certain recipes. Surprisingly, you can definitely substitute anise oil with anise extract.
However, you will need to keep an eye on the amount that you substitute. For starters, a single part of anise oil should equal around four whole parts of anise extract. This means that if you were planning to use 1tsp of anise extract, you will have to use 1/4 tsp of anise oil for substitution.