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Interests => All Things Edible (and how to prepare them) => Recipes => Topic started by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 02:56:02 PM

Title: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 02:56:02 PM
Because of this drear, drear, drear weather, encapsulating the world in unceasing, ceaseless, unrelenting, relentless, snow and ice since December 3 of last year, I need to try something new.

Maybe making cookies might dispell the madness.

What I'm thinking of are cookies my late mother used to make, around Christmas time, but I have no idea their name.

They were white, square, and the harder they were, the better they were.

One rolled out the dough using a special rolling pin that had "pictures" indented in the wood, and then one cut the dough into squares, and baked them.

One also sprinkled some sort of small long seed on them.

I suspect they were Norwegian or Danish in derivation, but why my mother made them, I have no idea, there being no Norwegian or Danish blood in her veins.

I'd like to try to make those sometime tomorrow, Saturday, when I brave the snow and the ice to go to the grocery store in the big city to get exotic things not available at the grocery store in town.

Anybody know what these cookies are, and have a recipe?
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 03:06:35 PM
They are Springerle, Frank. They are a German cookie and the spice you mentioned is anise. I'll see if I can dig up a recipe for you.  :-*
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 03:09:11 PM
They are Springerle, Frank. They are a German cookie and the spice you mentioned is anise. I'll see if I can dig up a recipe for you.  :-*

If you can do that, madam, I shall make them tomorrow (Saturday) and report upon them.

On edit: I recall that the maternal ancestress made them using as her guide a recipe out of the old Betty Crocker cookbook, the old three-ring bindered one.  It was one of those few times she actually used a cookbook.

"Anise" sounds familiar, but I haven't "heard" that word in decades.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 03:11:23 PM
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cookie/Springerle.htm

This one has a nice little history with it too.

The thing about a lot of cookies with Germanic origins is that they were meant to be stored for a long time thereby enhancing the spices in cookies like Pfefferneuse and giving the hard texture to cookies like Springerle.

Few more recipes:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/springerle-cookies

This one sounds closer to the recipe your mother used:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1810,158167-240196,00.html
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 03:12:42 PM
If you can do that, madam, I shall make them tomorrow (Saturday) and report upon them.

On edit: I recall that the maternal ancestress made them using as her guide a recipe out of the old Betty Crocker cookbook, the old three-ring bindered one.  It was one of those few times she actually used a cookbook.

"Anise" sounds familiar, but I haven't "heard" that word in decades.

I have that very cookbook, Frank. In fact, I can ask my mother for her 1969 edition that she got as a 1st anniversary gift from my dad since that will likely be much truer to the orginal...I shall return :-)
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 03:16:38 PM
Okay, jtyangel, your first link, and the third link, look promising.

The second link, from Martha Stewart, looks too hard.

The memory's now been jogged, after all these years and a couple of decades.

I remember that after rolling out the dough and cutting out the squares, the late maternal ancestress then re-rolled out the scrap dough and cut out more squares, and so on, until there was no more dough.

And now I remember why they were so rarely made; I had forgotten all about the long times of refrigeration.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 03:21:08 PM
Actually, my mother has another cookbook we both own, but I do have the Betty Crocker Cooky book which even includes orginal pics from the old version. The recipe is as follows:

Springerle

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups gold medal flour
anise seed

beat eggs and sugar together thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method(ie measuring cup into flour bag, level off with a knife or spatula, but don't tap to settle it before) or by sifting. Stir in flour until dough is well blended and very stiff. Refrigerate the dough for 3 to 4 hr. Roll out dough about 1/8" thick on lightly floured board. Press well-floured springerle board or rolling pin down firmly on dough to emboss the designs. Cut out the little squares; let dry on lightly floured board sprinked with anise for at least 10 hr. at room temperature.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer to lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 min. Makes 4 to 5 doz. cookies.

Note: Do not use Gold medal self-rising flour in this recipe.


There you go, my friend. Right out of the Betty Crocker Cooky Book.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 03:24:14 PM
Uh oh.

I recall the maternal ancestress using baking powder too.

I see your most-recent one doesn't include baking powder.

What exactly is the purpose, the function, of the baking powder?

On edit: By the way, the Betty Crocker cookbook my mother used was post 1945, pre 1951, something like that.  It was already pretty old by the time I was around.

Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 03:32:08 PM
Okay, I've decided, jtyangel.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm going to try the one in your #6 post, despite the absence of baking powder.

I don't have one of those fancy embossed rolling pins--just a usual standard one--but I do have an "E.II.R" cookie cutter, sterling silver, and that should work.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 03:40:18 PM
Baking powder is a leavening agent(rising agent).

I've looked at some other recipes and posts and it says the baking powder gives it the hard texture you mentioned.

Doing a conversion for the recipe with 2 1/2 cups of flour above, I would add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and sift that with the flour to get the result you are looking for. Another idea is to buy the self-rising flour and it will already include the baking powder in it.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 03:42:37 PM
Okay, I've decided, jtyangel.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm going to try the one in your #6 post, despite the absence of baking powder.

I don't have one of those fancy embossed rolling pins--just a usual standard one--but I do have an "E.II.R" cookie cutter, sterling silver, and that should work.

That cookie cutter almost sounds like the kind used on shortbread. My mother used to have the wooden, rounded thistle stamping type thing for her shortbread.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 03:43:58 PM
Thanks, jtyangel, you're a true gentlewoman and scholar.

Now, I have to wait until tomorrow (Saturday) to get the anise seed and the baking powder--sorry, but I wouldn't feel right about not using baking power--and start getting these together.

Because of the hours of refrigeration required, of course it'll be sometime Sunday morning before the finished product is pulled out of the oven.

I'll give a "real time" narrative of the creation as it occurs, beginning Saturday morning--my Saturdays are usually interrupted in mid-day, thus the time gap.

Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 03:46:14 PM
Thanks, jtyangel, you're a true gentlewoman and scholar.

Now, I have to wait until tomorrow (Saturday) to get the anise seed and the baking powder--sorry, but I wouldn't feel right about not using baking power--and start getting these together.

Because of the hours of refrigeration required, of course it'll be sometime Sunday morning before the finished product is pulled out of the oven.

I'll give a "real time" narrative of the creation as it occurs, beginning Saturday morning--my Saturdays are usually interrupted in mid-day, thus the time gap.



Very good, frank! I look forward to the results and hope I have guided you appropriately. Enjoy!
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 03:50:19 PM
Ooops, damn it, the neighbor's wife is here, and just told me the grocery store in town has anise seed and baking powder; I thought I'd have to go to the big city for those exotic ingredients.

So as soon as I get done changing the cat-litter box, I'm headed for town (eight miles) to get the stuff.

It looks as if I can start tonight, instead of tomorrow.

But remember, that 10 hours of refrigeration, so it won't be until tomorrow that they can be baked.

We'll see how this goes.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: rich_t on January 09, 2009, 04:02:56 PM
Ooops, damn it, the neighbor's wife is here, and just told me the grocery store in town has anise seed and baking powder; I thought I'd have to go to the big city for those exotic ingredients.

So as soon as I get done changing the cat-litter box, I'm headed for town (eight miles) to get the stuff.

It looks as if I can start tonight, instead of tomorrow.

But remember, that 10 hours of refrigeration, so it won't be until tomorrow that they can be baked.

We'll see how this goes.

They sound tasty Frank, let us know how they turn out.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 04:42:32 PM
Okay, here it is, circa 4:30 p.m. central time, 3:30 p.m. mountain time.

I got everything, and followed the instructions as given by jtyangel here, on #6.

Excepting the mixing bowl was rather big, and looked pretty empty with those dosages, so I tripled everything listed in the ingredients.

The dough mixed really good, really consistently; I did it by hand and wooden spoon.

It's uniformly consistent, and looks about as good as cookie dough can look.

Because this is quite a bit, I'm going to refrigerate it for circa 5 hours, maybe 6 hours, and then before hitting the sack tonight, I'll roll it out, and cookie-cutter all those "E.II.R"s (since I don't have an embossed rolling pin).

And then overnight, per instructions, I'll sprinkle the anise seeds on them and let them all dry out for about 10 hours.  There's cats here, of course, and so they'll be drying out on lightly greased-and-floured glassware cookie sheets in empty cupboards with the doors shut.

Now, because this requires use of a natural gas stove, in the morning, I'll have to kick all the cats outdoors, so as to be out of danger.  Since it's only about 15 minutes or so, no matter the weather outdoors, I'm confident the cats can take it.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 09, 2009, 07:47:56 PM
Very good. I too thought the ingredients were a bit..skimpy. Glad you made a larger batch. I've heard that Anise sometimes doesn't fly with many people. There are people who have modified springerle recipes with lemon, almond extract, etc to appeal to wider tastes. I must admit some of the ones I have seen are just beautiful.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 09:13:49 PM
Okay, about 9:00 p.m. central time, 8:00 p.m. mountain time, I took the dough out of the refrigerator and rolled it out.  The dough looks fine, but it's rather awkward trying to work it without dumping lots of flour on it (which I didn't).

I managed to make 62 cookies out of half of the dough--I might have rolled it too thin--the idea being to keep the other half until we see how this first half comes out.

Now they're sitting to dry out, behind the closed doors of a cupboard, to keep the cats out of it.  They're on glass cookie-sheets, greased and floured.

I think they look pretty neat, with this "E.II.R" stuff on them.

I put varying amounts of anise seed on them, from moderately-heavily-sprinkled to heavily-sprinkled.

In the morning, when I get up, I resume the instructions, which involve actually baking them.

That's the progress report thus far.

Man, this is a lot of work.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: DixieBelle on January 09, 2009, 09:37:25 PM
Will you be serving tea with the Queen's cookies? They sound yummy!
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 09, 2009, 09:41:22 PM
Will you be serving tea with the Queen's cookies?

After all this work, I doubt I'll have any energy to make tea too.

This proves the old adage that it's just simpler, easier, and cheaper to buy the things.

The only problem here being, I've never seen these sorts of cookies offered for sale at grocery stores.  And then at area bake-sales, they're always sort of soft, damned near squishy, as if made for infants or something..

I prefer them rock-hard, like the maternal ancestress made them.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: debk on January 10, 2009, 12:26:25 AM
I think Pepperidge Farm makes a type of Springerle cookie....only they call them "chess" cookies or something similar...they have a chess piece on them.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 07:56:34 AM
Okay, here it is, almost 8:00 a.m. central time, 7:00 a.m. mountain time.

I put all the cats outdoors before I turned on the oven per the specifications of jtyangel's comment #6. 

A phobia about gas stoves is one of three phobias that I have, all of which I consider reasonable phobias.  If I'm going to go, well, I'm going to go, but the cats shouldn't have to go with me.

The house is already filling up with the aroma of anise seed--this is a large house, and drafty, but surely no one could object to the odor of anise seed.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 08:02:20 AM
Okay, I just shut off the oven and let the cats come back indoors; the cats were happy, because it's bitterly cold outside.

It appears to have taken circa 20 minutes for the cookies to bake to the preferred hardness, rather than the 12-15 minutes specified in the recipe; I'm wondering if high altitude (1500 feet above sea level) or that I used glass cookie sheets is a factor here.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 08:23:35 AM
The cookies appear to have puffed up the right proportion, being about three times thicker than they were when inserted into the oven.

I don't think however I'll use the "E.II.R" cookie-cutter again, though; the pattern gets really distorted, and I mean no disrespect to H.M. the Queen.

I still have half the dough--remember I had tripled all the ingredients as specified in comment #6--and I think I'll just keep that refrigerated for another day or so, while I decide what to do other than cookie-cutter it (the "E.II.R" cookie-cutter is the only such kitchen implement I have).  Maybe I'll just roll it out and cut it into squares, no design embossed on them, or maybe I'll wait until early next week and look for one of those special rolling-pins in a second-hand store.  No point in purchasing a brand-new one, because I don't plan to make this a regular habit.

The cookies haven't had a chance to get cold and dry yet; I've tried some.

While still warm and solidly soft, they taste sort of how I remember them.....but only "sort of," because they're rather sweet.  I wonder if perhaps I should use less sugar next time.  That appears to be the only thing wrong here.

The wife of the neighbor is dropping by this afternoon, and I'll have her sample them, to tell me if they're the way they're supposed to be.  I think they're somewhat more than a bit too sweet, but she knows culinary better than I do.

The wife of the neighbor gave me grief yesterday (Friday), for thinking I had to go to the big city for baking powder, but actually I had no idea that one could get it at the grocery store in town.  Baking powder of course used to be a big kitchen item, when people did scratch-cooking more often than they do now, but in all honesty, I don't think I've laid my eyes upon a canister of baking powder since I've been an adult.

You know, this making food from scratch can be pretty long and arduous; recall, please, that I started all of this 16 hours ago.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: debk on January 10, 2009, 11:44:15 AM
Frank....I use baking powder in my bread doughs. I also use it making potato pancakes.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: Miss Mia on January 10, 2009, 03:08:03 PM
I've never seen a grocery not carry baking powder, well at least at the times I've needed it. 
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 03:30:05 PM
I've never seen a grocery not carry baking powder, well at least at the times I've needed it.

It's the difference between men and women, I guess.

I suspect that if the man in the house did the grocery shopping, grocery bills would be cut by more than half.

I give you the example of this couple, my neighbors.  When the whole family (husband, wife, three infants) is at home and the wife does the grocery shopping, she spends $200-250 and an hour or so doing it.

When the wife is visiting family in Omaha, with or without the infants, and the husband does the grocery shopping, he spends circa $80 and twenty minutes doing it.

A woman, considering shopping recreational, likes to look around, and is thus enticed, seduced, by pretty packaging and "placement of product." 

A man, for whom shopping is a drag, an utter nuisance to be done as quickly as possible, knows what he wants, or needs, before he goes into the store, gets it, and comes out as quickly as possible.  He sees only those things he wants or needs, ignoring all else.

Myself, being a man, am not acquainted with 99% of the products even in the modest grocery store (six aisles) in town because it's stuff I don't need or want.

It's the difference between women and men, and I'm not disparaging women--without women, none of us would be here, so all hail! to women--but just telling it like it is.  If a man doesn't need or want something, he doesn't see it.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: Miss Mia on January 10, 2009, 03:40:06 PM
Frank, growing up I went to the grocery store with my mom, and yes it was at least an hour.  I, myself, am in and out kind of shopper.  I usually have a list, I know where the items are located and get the heck outta there. 

Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 03:44:59 PM
Frank, growing up I went to the grocery store with my mom, and yes it was at least an hour.  I, myself, am in and out kind of shopper.  I usually have a list, I know where the items are located and get the heck outta there.

Well, now remember, I'm not putting down women.

There's a particular reason people are the way they are, and best to not mess with it.

By the way, the wife of the neighbor sampled the cookies.

Like me, she says they're a tad bit too sweet, even though I followed the instructions to a tee.

She thought it was weird that they all had varying degrees of anise seed on them, but that was to "experiment," to find out the proper proportion.

I still have half the dough left; anybody have any ideas about what I could add, to make it less sweet?
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: Miss Mia on January 10, 2009, 03:48:48 PM
Well, now remember, I'm not putting down women.

There's a particular reason people are the way they are, and best to not mess with it.

By the way, the wife of the neighbor sampled the cookies.

Like me, she says they're a tad bit too sweet, even though I followed the instructions to a tee.

She thought it was weird that they all had varying degrees of anise seed on them, but that was to "experiment," to find out the proper proportion.

I still have half the dough left; anybody have any ideas about what I could add, to make it less sweet?


No, Frank of course you're not putting women down.  I understood exactly what you were saying.  I just happen to be a quick shopper. 


Maybe you can add some flour to the mix and a pinch of baking powder?  I'm not exactly sure out to less sweeten it.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 03:51:17 PM
Maybe you can add some flour to the mix and a pinch of baking powder?  I'm not exactly sure out to less sweeten it.

I'm thinking of another egg (small), another cup of flour, and a pinch of baking powder, but I'm going to wait for jtyangel's advice on this, as she knows this stuff.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: Miss Mia on January 10, 2009, 03:54:08 PM
I'm thinking of another egg (small), another cup of flour, and a pinch of baking powder, but I'm going to wait for jtyangel's advice on this, as she knows this stuff.

That sounds good, but I agree wait until Jty comes back.  :)
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 03:59:01 PM
That sounds good, but I agree wait until Jty comes back.  :)

Don't worry; I'm not making a move until jtyangel gives her counsel.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on January 10, 2009, 04:56:41 PM
Hmm..well the difficult thing about adding to a cookie that requires chilling like springerle do is that adding 'fresh' ingredients could mess with it. When something like this happens we generally ditch the dough and start over or cook it as is and give it to someone who perhaps appreciates something a little sweeter. Making something sweeter is easier then taking it out.


I would give your suggestion a try..mixing all those ingredients on thier own and then kneading them into the rest of the chilled dough to get the sweetness dispersed throughout the dough. Then put it all back in to chill. In order to knead it though, you may want to take the other dough out for a little while so that it can soften up some. I would also take care when rolling it out that I take a few more roll outs and then knead back in again just to be sure. Then proceed as you did with the others.

But be advised, all that work may be for nothing and may mess with the proportions of ingredients to the point that they turn out a bit differently.

I would guess that the maternal ancestress probably tweaked some ingredients along the way. She made minor changes that she did not share. I do this as well. I just bake and I know what to put more or less of in a recipe having made it a few times. It's not a stretch to think that the orginal recipe may have been too sweet for her as well and she did what most folks inclined to baking and such do and fiddled with the ingredients themselves unbeknownest to their families that enjoyed the fruits of that tweaking.

I hope they turn out better, frank.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 10, 2009, 06:58:03 PM
Don't worry, jtyangel, madam.

This is just an experiment, a "first-try" sort of thing.

Not tonight, but on Sunday, I'll try your suggestions, and we'll see how it goes.

Every cook or "cook" is an individual, and so results vary even if all are following the exact same directions. 

It is possible the late maternal ancestress tweaked some things.

If I was entering these into a 4-H cooking contest--some of which can be rather lucrative, around here--I'd worry, but this is just an experiment.

We'll see how it goes.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: Chris on January 10, 2009, 11:40:19 PM
I have some almond and anise biscotti.  Very licorice-y.  Not my favorite thing in the world.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on January 12, 2009, 08:08:10 AM
I hope they turn out better, frank.

Okay, now remember, madam, the first batch was not bad; it was just too sweet, nothing more.

Okay, earlier this morning I tossed the cats outdoors and turned on the natural gas stove, to cook an altered batch.  I had added another cup of flour, another small egg, a half-tablespoon of baking powder, and a few dribblets of water, because the refrigerated dough was rather too stiff.  (Yes, I had taken the dough out of the refrigerator some hours before I added this new stuff in.)

Guess what.

These are great, just great; just like what the late mother used to make.

I can hardly wait until they get older, drier, and harder.

I still have some of this modified batch left, in the refrigerator, and will bake that later in the week. 

Now, I wouldn't suggest anyone alter the Betty Crocker recipe in jtyangel's comment #6, even though that comes out really really sweet--there are some who like really really sweet cookies--until they try it as directed first.  And then do the additional flour, additional egg, additional baking powder the second time around.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on December 15, 2012, 08:51:27 PM
Actually, my mother has another cookbook we both own, but I do have the Betty Crocker Cooky book which even includes orginal pics from the old version. The recipe is as follows:

Springerle

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups gold medal flour
anise seed

beat eggs and sugar together thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method(ie measuring cup into flour bag, level off with a knife or spatula, but don't tap to settle it before) or by sifting. Stir in flour until dough is well blended and very stiff. Refrigerate the dough for 3 to 4 hr. Roll out dough about 1/8" thick on lightly floured board. Press well-floured springerle board or rolling pin down firmly on dough to emboss the designs. Cut out the little squares; let dry on lightly floured board sprinked with anise for at least 10 hr. at room temperature.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer to lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 min. Makes 4 to 5 doz. cookies.

Note: Do not use Gold medal self-rising flour in this recipe.

Okay, I'm doing this again.  It looks good.

I got a late start on this--it's about 9 p.m. central time Saturday--and so it'll chill in the refrigerator overnight, until I wake up in the morning.  I hope that doesn't hurt anything.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: marv on December 16, 2012, 07:49:38 AM
Sorry to get in on this so late, but just spotted it. Here's the REAL, AUTHENTIC springerle cooky recipe. It comes from my maternal Grandmother who emigrated from Prussia.

Quote
Springerle Cookies (Do not make these until after the first hard freeze)

1/2 tsp Baker's ammonia
2 tbl milk
6 eggs, at room temperature
6 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1/2 tsp anise oil (extract may be substituted)
1/2 tsp salt
2 lb cake flour, sifted (about 8 cups)

Mash baker's ammonia with a rolling pin if it is not powdered. Dissolve it in the milk in a small bowl and let stand 1 hour before using.
Beat eggs in large bowl until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until creamy and smooth. Add butter and beat again until creamy. Add anise oil, dissolved baker's ammonia and salt; beat to mix. Gradually beat in enough flour to make a stiff dough.
Cut off pieces of dough and work in more flour on a floured work surface until dough is stiff enough to roll out and hold the design of the springerle rolling pin or mold. Roll out on a lightly floured board with a floured rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness. Press design on dough with a floured springerle rolling pin. Cut cookies apart using a floured knife. Leave on work surface covered with a clean kitchen towel overnight.
The next day, heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake cookies on greased baking sheets, until barely golden on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in tightly covered tins and let stand at least 1 week before serving.

Mom made them every year when I was young. I make them with this recipe, and you can drive a nail with them - until you dip them in hot coffee or chocolate and they almost fall apart.

Ref:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/bakers-ammonia-ammonium-carbonate-27-oz

http://www.kitchenconservatory.com/Springerle-Molds-C381.aspx (I use the 8.25 roller)
(http://www.kitchenconservatory.com/Assets/ProductImages/springerle_t.JPG)
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on December 16, 2012, 07:53:53 AM
Sorry to get in on this so late, but just spotted it. Here's the REAL, AUTHENTIC springerle cooky recipe. It comes from my maternal Grandmother who emigrated from Prussia.

Mom made them every year when I was young. I make them with this recipe, and you can drive a nail with them - until you dip them in hot coffee or chocolate and they almost fall apart.

Question.

The first year I made these using jtyangel's recipe, I skipped all of this chilling-for-several-hours and leaving-sit-for-several-hours stuff (this time around, I'm following her instructions exactly).

What is the purpose of all this leaving-alone-for-a-long time stuff?

I'm no chemist; what does it do?
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on December 16, 2012, 07:59:30 AM
http://www.wkiri.com/today/?p=1154


In the case of springerle, I expect it is so they are easier to work with.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on December 16, 2012, 08:04:49 AM
http://www.wkiri.com/today/?p=1154


In the case of springerle, I expect it is so they are easier to work with.

Thank you; I read the whole link.  I didn't know that stuff.

It also explains why my mother used to roll up some cookie doughs in waxed paper and refrigerate it for a while.  I had no idea.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on December 16, 2012, 09:16:24 AM
Thank you; I read the whole link.  I didn't know that stuff.

It also explains why my mother used to roll up some cookie doughs in waxed paper and refrigerate it for a while.  I had no idea.

I knew one of the reasons was to make butter based doughs easier to work with. I was not sure as to the mechanics of why dough had to be rested in other instances though so that was an interesting read for me as well.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: rustybayonet on December 16, 2012, 11:56:21 AM
Franksolich - My grandmother and mother used to make springerle's during the holidays.  Years after both passed I wanted those childhood cookies, so I started looking for recipes and the cookie cutters.  Found out it takes forever to make, and the 'true' cutters are expensive.  With dumb luck I called a restaurant in my home state of Michigan that is famous for their German/Bavarian cooking and baking.  Presto, they make them.  Somewhat expensive, but figuring time and the expense of cutters, I now order 2 dozen every Christmas season and have them shipped.

Here's the e-mail address for ordering -- click on "seasonal items" and scroll down, you'll find 'Springerles'.  I'll warn you though - everything they make is great - so I generally don't just order those cookies.  Hope you enjoy as mush as I do....



http://www.zehndersstore.com/productpages/germanspecialties.htm
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: jtyangel on December 16, 2012, 12:09:19 PM
Franksolich - My grandmother and mother used to make springerle's during the holidays.  Years after both passed I wanted those childhood cookies, so I started looking for recipes and the cookie cutters.  Found out it takes forever to make, and the 'true' cutters are expensive.  With dumb luck I called a restaurant in my home state of Michigan that is famous for their German/Bavarian cooking and baking.  Presto, they make them.  Somewhat expensive, but figuring time and the expense of cutters, I now order 2 dozen every Christmas season and have them shipped.

Here's the e-mail address for ordering -- click on "seasonal items" and scroll down, you'll find 'Springerles'.  I'll warn you though - everything they make is great - so I generally don't just order those cookies.  Hope you enjoy as mush as I do....



http://www.zehndersstore.com/productpages/germanspecialties.htm

Ahhh Zehnders. My guy and I have been there for dinner before:)
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: franksolich on December 16, 2012, 07:22:14 PM
Progress report:

There's enough dough to make four batches.

After keeping it overnight in the refrigerator, I made one batch.

It turned out good, better than it had all those years ago.  It wasn't too sweet.  I wonder if I'd used two small or medium sized eggs that time, and I used two large eggs this time.  I dunno if that would make a difference, but there is a difference.

And now twelve hours later, I made a second batch, which turns out gooder even.

Tomorrow (Monday) I'll make a third batch, to see if "ageing" the dough has an effect on quality.

I just roll out the dough using a 46-ounce can of tomato juice--I don't have any rolling pins--and cut the dough up into squares.  My mother had had a couple of those fancy rolling pins with designs on them, but how something looks, doesn't make it more or less better.  Plain is as good as fancy.
Title: Re: Springerle
Post by: debk on December 17, 2012, 05:39:38 AM
It turned out good, better than it had all those years ago.  It wasn't too sweet.  I wonder if I'd used two small or medium sized eggs that time, and I used two large eggs this time.  I dunno if that would make a difference, but there is a difference.

Yes, the size of the egg definitely makes a difference in baking.

Rule of thumb is most recipes are tested using a large egg. In the newer recipes that is, not the ones handed down generationally. However, you will usually be "safe" with most recipes, if you use large eggs.

I always use jumbo eggs, except when I make deviled eggs then I will use large or extra large. I don't alter any of the other ingredients, but using the jumbo can require a bit longer baking time, particularly if there are more than 2 eggs in the recipe.