Our Family Springerle
by Geraldine Duncann
When my sister was raising her three boys there was a little old German man lived in their neighborhood. Every year at the holidays he would bring her boys a big basket of Springerle and other traditional German Christmas baked goods. He had been a baker in Germany, and not liking what he saw brewing under the Nazi regime he managed to immigrate to the U.S. before WWII broke out.
My sister and her boys particularly loved the Springerle. One day he came to visit and he had all of his antique, hand carved Springerle boards with him and a card with his recipe hand written on it. He had just come from his doctor where he had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer. He said he wanted my sister and her boys to have his recipe and his molds since he had no family. That was in the mid 50’s. We have been making these delicious anise flavored cookies every holiday season ever since. The name springerle means “little knights,” and their origin can be traced back to the 14th century.
There are many recipes that claim to be Springerle. Usually they are not. If the recipe calls for butter, margarine or any other form of shortening, it is not a Springerle. If it calls for any leavening other than ammonium carbonate (sometimes called bakers ammonia or hearts horn) they are not Springerle. Just because a cookie is anise flavored does not makeit a Springerle. Springerle have a distinctive texture that can only be achieved by following this recipe, which does not involve shortening or baking powder. Unfortunately, ammonium carbonate can be difficult to find. Look fornit on-line or in specialty supply shops. AND NO! Opposed to what many recipes
say, you cannot substitute baking powder or baking soda and get the same effect. Incidentally, just because the kitchen may smell a bit like ammonia while baking these cookies, does not mean there is anything wrong. The cookies will not taste of it.
- 4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- 1 pound powdered sugar, (about 4 ½ cups) sifted
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon anise extract – (if you’re a real licorice lover you may want to add more)
- 1 pound all-purpouse flour, (about 4 cups)
- 2 teaspoons ammonium carbonate – (also called Bakers Anomia or heartshorn)
- Anise seeds
In a large bowl beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. Add the powdered sugar and with a wire whisk, beat for twenty minutes. Add the lemon and anise extract and continue beating for another ten minutes. Yes, this beating is necessary for the final texture. O.K. O.K. you may use something electric if you must, but having the family take turns beating is kind of fun. This should be a family project. That’s part of the success.
Sift the ammonium carbonate with the flour and add to the egg and sugar mixture one half cup at a time, folding in after each addition. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.
When ready to form, remove from the fridge and place about a quarter of the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Pat into a disk and gently roll out to be about one- quarter inch thick. Lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour. Using Springerle boards or a Springerle rolling pin, carefully press the designs into the dough.
Using a brush with soft bristles, gently dust the excess flour off the surface of the cookies. Cut the designs apart. I prefer to use a bench knife for this. A pastry wheel can cause the designs to distort.
Line baking sheets with baker’s parchment and sprinkle the parchment with anise seeds. Using a spatula or a bench knife, (picture) lift the cookies onto the baking sheet and place about half an inch apart.
Allow to sit, unrefrigerated and uncovered over night before baking. This is absolutely necessary. If you do not allow them to air dry in this manner, when baked they will puff up and the designs will disappear and you will have gone to all the trouble of molding them for nothing.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C or Gas mark 2). Bake for about ten to twelve minutes or only until a very pale buff or eggshell color. They should not be brown. They may seem too soft when they come out of the oven. Don’t worry. They will become crisp as they cool.
Place in an air tight container and store until ready to serve. They will keep for months. Traditionally they are made at least six months before serving. In Germany, the families that still make their own, bake the ones for Christmas at Easter time and the ones to be used for Easter at Christmas time. They are such a favorite at our house that I have never been able to have them age for more than a week or two.
If you find them to be a bit too hard, place a piece of apple in the container with them. Change it every two or three days. The Springerle will absorb the moisture from the apple and soften a bit.