Swabian Germans love their sweets , especially around the holidays. One of them is the anise cookie called Springerle. This cookie is unusual in many ways. It's an embossed cookie that is very decorative and also has some non traditional ingredients in its' recipe.It's not your typical holiday butter cookie but one that is richer and more complex both in taste an texture.
Springerle cookies came about in the 1400s and the name means little springer or knight in the Swabian dialect. The cookies literally spring up when they re baked thanks to leavening agents. They are now made with baking powder. Springerle have an intense anise taste thanks to the crushed anise seeds used in the recipe. It is not a cookie for the faint hearted. Springerle has whimsical pictures embossed into the surface, thanks to the dough being rolled out by a specially embossed rolling pin. This last is carved from top to bottom with different designs on it. You can also buy hand cut wooden molds from Germany as well.
Another aspect of Springerle is that the stamped dough has to be set out to dry for twenty-four hours before baking. This is to make sure that the design is set into the dough and will remain sharp and clear during the baking process. Unfortunately this also makes the cookies very hard in texture. Some bakers leave Springerle out on the table to soften while others use a microwave to make them lose their hardness. The best and the most traditional way is to place the Springerle in a tin with a slice of apple. This provides moisture and softens the cookie.
Springerle are a wonderful holiday treat. They are deep and intense sweets , treats whose strong , robust flavor should be savored slowly. They are a grown up version of the traditional Christmas cookie.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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