1/2 tsp baker's ammonia
2 tbsp milk
6 each eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 lb confectioners' sugar
1 (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp anise oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 lb cake flour, sifted
1 (about 8 cups)
Directions
Preparation time: 40 minutes Standing time: 1 hour plus overnight
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes Aging time: 1 week or more
1. Mash baker's ammonia with a rolling pin if it is not powdered.
Dissolve it in the milk in a small bowl and let stand 1 hour before
using.
2. Beat eggs in large bowl of electric mixer until thick and
lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar
until creamy and smooth. Add butter and beat again until creamy. Add
anise oil, dissolved baker's ammonia and salt; beat to mix. Gradually
beat in enough flour to make a stiff dough.
3. Cut off pieces of dough and work in more flour on a floured work
surface until dough is stiff enough to roll out and hold the design
of the springerle rolling pin or mold. Roll out on a lightly floured
board with a floured rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness. Press design
on dough with a floured springerle rolling pin or mold. Cut cookies
apart using a floured knife. Leave on work surface covered with a
clean kitchen towel overnight.
4. The next day, heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake cookies on greased
baking sheets, until barely golden on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes.
Cool on wire racks. Store in tightly covered tins and allow to
mellow at least 1 week before serving.
Note: This recipe also can be made using 1 1/2 teaspoons baking
powder (in place of the milk and the baker's ammonia) and anise
extract instead of anise oil. However, the cookies will not be as
delicately textured and the anise flavor not quite as rich. If using
baking powder, add it with the salt to the batter.
Connie Meisinger of Buffalo Grove tied for third place with this
recipe. from the Chicago Tribune sixth annual Food Guide Holiday
Cookie Contest December 2, 1993
Servings: 84 servings
1993 3rd Place: Springerle Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Beverage; Cake; Candy; Dessert
The History of Recipes
Historians have traced the existance of recipes way back into antiquity, at least as far into history as ancient Egypt, and maybe further still. However, these, old cook books were just very simple pictorial, hieroglyphic or cunieform instructions for preparing food.
Fascinatingly, the oldest recipe found, according to Professor Solomon Katz, is a collection of stone tablets in ancient Sumerian describing the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made those who drank it feel wonderful. Progressing into The time of the romans 25BC a man called Apicius created some scripts describing recipes enjoyed by the Romans. In his publication, Apicius describes how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into starters, main meal and dessert, known in latin as `Gustatio, Primae Mensae and Secundae Mensae`. Aspicius describes how the cooks of Roman times made use of many aromatic flavors, including many that are still in use today such as basil, rue and dill. In the 15th century, knights returning from the crusades brought back many spices and herbs from the Middle-East, including spices such as coriander, parsley, and rosemary. The introduction of these new tastes was responsible for an eruption in publications on food, the majority of which are kept safe in private collections. The introduction of television brings us cooking programs and the accompanying recipe books. And that brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, allowing everybody to search through massive numbers of recipes like the ones you can find on sites such as this. |
We hope you enjoy this 1993 3rd Place_ Springerle recipe.
