AI-generated image
Springerle
Anise biscuits
Springerle: Swabian anise biscuits pressed with carved wooden moulds
Springerle are among the oldest Christmas biscuits of Swabia and Baden in south-west Germany, made in Advent with carved wooden moulds and boards handed down in families, which print scenes of angels, animals and flowers onto the dough. The dough is only eggs, sugar and flour with aniseed underneath. The pressed biscuits are left to dry overnight, so that in the oven the picture stays sharp on top while a little 'foot' rises underneath. They are hard when fresh and soften in a tin after a week. Chef's tip: dust the mould with flour and tap out the excess every time, or the dough sticks and the picture blurs.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
- 2 eggsat room temperature
- 9 oz icing sugarsifted
- ½ lemonzest only
- 10 oz plain flourplus extra for the moulds
- 2 tbsp aniseed
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Beat 2 eggs with an electric mixer for 5 minutes, then add 9 oz icing sugar a spoonful at a time and keep beating for 10 minutes, until very thick, pale and the beaters leave a trail.
15 minStep 2: Beat in ½ lemon, then work in 10 oz plain flour mixed with ¼ tsp baker's ammonia or baking powder to a firm, smooth dough. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Roll the dough about 1 cm thick on a lightly floured surface. Dust a springerle mould or board with flour, tap off the excess and press it firmly into the dough. Lift it straight up and cut around the picture with a knife.
30 minStep 4: Scatter 2 tbsp aniseed over lined baking trays and set the biscuits on top. Leave uncovered at room temperature for 12–24 hours, until the surface is dry to the touch. A common mistake is skipping the drying: the picture then puffs away in the oven.
Step 5: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan). Bake for 15–20 minutes, until each biscuit has risen on a pale foot and the top is still white, not golden.
18 minStep 6: Cool and store in a tin with a slice of apple for a week, until they soften.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does springerle take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Pfälzer SaumagenStuffed pig's stomach
Saumagen is the pride of the Palatinate, served at wine-village festivals and family dinners from the Haardt hills to Ludwigshafen. A cleaned pig's stomach is stuffed with diced pork shoulder, pork sausage meat, potato and carrot seasoned with marjoram and nutmeg, poached slowly, then sliced thick and fried until crusty. The stomach works only as a casing and is ordered from a butcher; if you can't get one, bake the same filling in a covered terrine in a water bath. Serve with sauerkraut and mashed potato. Chef's tip: fill the stomach only three-quarters full, or it bursts as the potatoes swell.
Basque burnt cheesecake
This crustless cheesecake was created in the early 1990s at La Viña, a pintxos bar in the old town of San Sebastián (Donostia) in the Basque Country, and is now famous around the world. It's baked very hot so the top caramelises almost black and the sides rise and crack, while the middle stays soft and creamy, almost runny. There's no base and no water bath, and the rough, rustic look is the point: it's lined with crumpled baking paper. La Viña uses a spoonful of wheat flour; cornflour does the same job and keeps it gluten free. Chef's tip: take it out of the oven while the centre still wobbles like a soft set custard; it firms up as it cools, and if it looks set in the oven, the middle will be dry instead of creamy.
Spanish
Almond cookiesOat, coconut and almond cookies
A big batch of crunchy cookies with rolled oats, coconut, chopped almonds and chunks of cooking chocolate. For a change, use cashew nuts instead of almonds.
Perfect for:Christmas