Secret Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon baker'sammonia (hartshorn) or 1/2 teaspoon 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
- Gratedorange rind (enhances flavor of the traditional anise or the citrus flavors, optional, optional) (optional) or lemon rind (enhances flavor of the traditional anise or the citrus flavors) (optional)
- Flour (more as needed)
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Directions
- Dissolve hartshorn in the milk for 1 hour.
- Beat eggs until thick and lemon coloured, about 10 minutes with a heavy duty mixed, longer with a hand mixer.
- Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, then the softened butter, beating until the mixture is creamy.
- Beat in the hartshorn and milk, salt, flavouring oil and grated citrus peel, if using.
- 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.
- Turn the dough onto floured surface and knead in more flour until stiff enough to make a good print.
- The amount of flour needed will depend on the size of the eggs and amount of humidity.
- Dust a surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 1/3 " thickness.
- With a clean dry pastry brush, brush springerle molds with cake flour and press into the dough.
- Cut out cookies with a knife, pizza cutter, pastry wheel or cutter.
- Place cookies on a kitchen towel, uncovered, to dry for 2 to 24 hours.
- 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.
- Cool completely on rack and store in tins.
- They will keep for monthe and improve with age. They can be baked in October or November for Christmas.
- The number of cookies this recipe yields depends on the size and thickness of the cookies.
- Prep time does not include the 2 to 24 hour drying time.
- VARIATIONS:.
- Chocolate Springerle - Add 1 cup cocoa and 2 tsp vanilla or chocolate extract in place of other flavorings. For a lighter colored cookie, use chocolate flavor confectioner's sugar which is available in 1 lb boxes, plus 2 tsp of vanilla or chocolate extract.
- Cocoa-Mocha - Add 2 tbsp powdered (pulverize granules if necessary) instant coffee to milk plus either of the chocolate formulas given above.
- Citrus - Use 3 to 4 tsp oil of lemon or oil of orange, or 2 tsp oil and grated rind of 3 oranges or lemons.
- Oil of cinnamon, almond or peppermint - Use 1/2 tsp
- Vanilla - Use 4 or 5 tsp extract.
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