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.
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.
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.
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.
Will you be serving tea with the Queen's cookies?
I've never seen a grocery not carry baking powder, well at least at the times I've needed it.
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?
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.
That sounds good, but I agree wait until Jty comes back. :)
I hope they turn out better, frank.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.