Springerle Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon baker's ammonia (Hartshorn) or baking powder
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 6 cups powdered sugar (1 - 1 1/2 LB)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened but not melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon anise (if substituting fruit flavored oils, use 3 teaspoons)
• 2 lbs sifted cake flour
• grated orange rind (optional) or lemon rind (enhances flavor of the traditional anise or the citrus flavors) (optional)
• flour (more as needed)

Directions

1. 1

   Dissolve hartshorn in the milk for 1 hour.

2. 2

   Beat eggs until thick and lemon coloured, about 10 minutes with a heavy duty mixed, longer with a hand mixer.

3. 3

   Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, then the softened butter, beating until the mixture is creamy.

4. 4

   Beat in the hartshorn and milk, salt, flavouring oil and grated citrus peel, if using.

5. 5

   Gradually beat in as much of the flour as possible with the mixer, then stir in the rest of the flour to make a stiff dough.

6. 6

   Turn the dough onto floured surface and knead in more flour until stiff enough to make a good print.

7. 7

   The amount of flour needed will depend on the size of the eggs and amount of humidity.

8. 8

   Dust a surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 1/3 " thickness.

9. 9

   With a clean dry pastry brush, brush springerle molds with cake flour and press into the dough.

10. 10

    Cut out cookies with a knife, pizza cutter, pastry wheel or cutter.

11. 11

    Place cookies on a kitchen towel, uncovered, to dry for 2 to 24 hours.

12. 12

    Bake on a greased or baker's parchment lined cookie sheet at 225 F to 325 F until barely golden on the bottom. This will take 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.

13. 13

    Cool completely on rack and store in tins.

14. 14

    They will keep for monthe and improve with age. They can be baked in October or November for Christmas.

15. 15

    The number of cookies this recipe yields depends on the size and thickness of the cookies.

16. 16

    Prep time does not include the 2 to 24 hour drying time.