Baking process Springerle

the major ingredients of springerle eggs, white (wheat) flour, , fine or powdered sugar. biscuits traditionally anise-flavored, although anise not mixed dough; instead dusted onto baking sheets biscuit sits on top of crushed anise seeds.

traditional springerle recipes use hartshorn salt (ammonium carbonate, or baker s ammonia) leavening agent. since hartshorn salt can difficult find, many modern recipes use baking powder leavening agent. springerle made hartshorn salt lighter , softer made baking powder. hartshorn salt imparts crisper design , longer shelf-life springerle. leavening causes biscuit @ least double in height during baking.

to make springerle, cold, stiff dough rolled thin , pressed mold, or impressed specialized, carved rolling pin. dough unmolded , left dry 24 hours before being baked @ low temperature on greased, anise-dusted baking sheets. drying period allows time pattern in top of cookie set, cookie has pop-up effect leavening, producing characteristic foot along edges, below molded surface.

a modern springerle rolling pin

the baked biscuits hard, , packed away ripen 2 or 4 weeks. during time, become tender.

another method of making springerle not chill dough @ all. commonly, after mixing ingredients together, 1 cover surface flour, , use regular rolling pin (also covered in flour) roll out dough half-an-inch of thickness. flour spread on top surface of rolled-out dough, , on specialized springerle rolling pin. 1 whack springerle rolling pin against 1 s hand few times, dislodge flour caked designs on it, , proceed firmly roll out molds. 1 uses knife cut out small, rectangular cookies (often 2x1 inches), , place them on wooden board dry overnight (or @ least twelve hours). process repeated, dough gets more brittle due added flour , doesn t hold molds well. therefore, important roll dough out in small batches (instead of @ once), keep moisture in cookies hold together. anise seed sprinkled on baking sheets before putting them in oven (about ten minutes sufficient, cooking time depends on thickness). 1-2 teaspoons of anise extract can added dough increase taste (which rather licorice), , amount of cookies varies on thickness. usual recipe 4 eggs , 3-4 cups of flour can yield anywhere 60-144 cookies, depending on thickness , experience of maker.