Orange Flavored Springerle Cookies Recipes

GERMAN ANISE CHRISTMAS COOKIES (SPRINGERLE)

Steps:

• Sift together the flour and baking powder, set aside. In a large bowl, whip the eggs and sugar until thick and light. Stir in the lemon zest and ground anise. Add the flour mixture, mix well. Cover and chill dough for about an hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Traditionally, you would roll over the dough with a springerle rolling pin, but the dough can be cut into small shapes of any kind. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets, sprinkle with anise seed and leave out uncovered, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake cookies for 25 to 30 minutes.

SPRINGERLE

Steps:

• Dissolve baking powder in milk in a small bowl. Put the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat eggs on high speed until very thick and lemon colored, about 10 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar until creamy and smooth.
• Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed, until creamy. Add baking powder and milk, salt, anise extract, and lemon zest; beat to combine.
• Add 6 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing on medium-low speed after each addition. Remove from mixer and stir in 3 more cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is stiff and well combined.
• Transfer dough to a floured surface; knead by hand until dough is smooth and not sticky, adding more flour if necessary. Divide dough into 4 pieces; wrap well in plastic wrap.
• Dust a work surface with confectioners' sugar; roll out 1 piece of dough 3/8 inch thick. Using a pastry brush, coat a springerle mold with confectioners' sugar. Press mold into the dough; lift off. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut out cookie and slide it onto parchment-lined baking sheets; repeat, arranging cookies by size, about 1 inch apart. Let stand uncovered for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 220°F. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until completely dry, about 1 hour. They will not take on any color. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 weeks.
• HOW TO FORM SPRINGERLE
• To make springerle, dough is rolled out on a work surface dusted with confectioners' sugar, a mold is pressed into the dough, and the excess is trimmed away.

TRADITIONAL SPRINGERLE

Steps:

• Lightly grease 4 cookie sheets. Sprinkle with anise seeds. Set aside until needed.
• Mix the flour and baking powder together in a bowl until well blended. Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat until light and frothy, 5 to 8 minutes. Slowly stir in the flour mixture until a thick dough forms.
• Working with handfuls of dough, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over the dough. Place springerle molds onto the dough; press down hard and evenly until the mold's design registers in the dough. Remove the mold. Use a small knife to cut around each cookie, and place on prepared cookie sheets. Repeat, until all dough has been used. Cover the cookies with a lightweight cotton cloth, and allow to dry 8 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Bake cookies in preheated oven until tops are pale brown and set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container.