German SPRINGERLE

Cari usually makes these in advance and brings to bake on cookie day. They take way too much time and need to actually dry overnight. But if you like anise these are outstanding...

Prep Time: Bake time: 8-12 min 400F
Be sure to use FRESH eggs

In a large bowl, beat stiff:
8 egg whites
Add: 8 egg yolks one at a time, keeping the mixture as stiff as possible
Beat in, in small amounts
2 lbs (5 cups) superfine sugar.
(this is not powdered sugar, but is a finely ground cane sugar, sometimes called “Bar Sugar”. Use about 20 minutes to beat in the sugar
Remove the beaters

Fold in:
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled slightly
3-4 tablespoons crushed anise seed
Stir in:
6 cups flour, or more, mixed with
4 tsp. baking powder
On a floured board, work in only as much flour as is needed to provide very sharp edges when the dough is cut or pressed with the fingers. Too much makes the cookies dry & tough; too little makes the cookies soft and not good patterns. Roll about one fourth of the dough to ½ inch thick, using a mixture of flour and corn starch as the duster. Using this same “duster” press the well-floured molds into the dough with enough pressure to make sharp patterns. Cut apart with a knife or pastry wheel. Set on a floured-dusted table or pans , to dry overnight. In the morning, bake on greased cookie sheets in a 400oF over for 8 to 12 minutes. They should “explode” with a fine impression on the surface, a soft cake-like interior and should not color very much. When cool, store in an airtight box.

NOTE: if wet dough clings to parts of the mold, it must be washed and scrubbed clean (with a stiff toothbrush, kept for this purpose), allowed to air-dry over night and used the next time.

Made by Cari A.