Meringue Springerle Cookies Food

EASY AND DELICIOUS MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225f.
• Beat egg whites in a metal bowl with a hand-held beater or a mixmaster untill foamy. Add vanilla and cream of tartar.
• Continue to beat, and add sugar one tsp at a time.
• Beat untill it forms stiff peaks.
• Put meringue into a thin square bag, and cut a SMALL hole in a bottom corner of the bag, so the meringue will come out in a string about the size of a thick pencil.
• On a cookie sheet lined with pachment paper squeeze from outside in, making a spiral, then make a peak in the middle. The meringue should be about 1 inch in diameter. You will probably need a second cookie sheet.
• bake for one hour, or untill tops are golden brown.

SPRINGERLE COOKIES

Steps:

• In large mixer bowl, beat eggs at high speed until thick & lemon colored.
• Continue beating while adding sugar slowly; add flour, baking powder, lemon peel & anise extract- beat together completely.
• On a well-floured board, roll out some of the dough with a plain rolling pin to about 1/2" thickness; lightly flour Springerle rolling pin & roll it firmly across dough to impress patterns (try to keep dough about 1/2" thick).
• Cut cookies apart between patterns.
• Place cookies 1/2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets, and allow them to dry uncovered overnight (12 hours).
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 250-300° & place cookies 1/2" apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 25-30 minutes until firm but still white.
• Remove to wire racks to cool.
• Store cookies in a tightly covered container with some anise seeds.
• Flavor develops fully after about 2 weeks.

GERMAN SPRINGERLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat eggs until very light.
• Gradually add sugar and beat 15 minutes at high speed until mixture resembles a soft meringue, this is very important; don't skimp on time.
• Add anise oil and blend gently.
• SIft together flour and baking soda and add to egg mixture at low speed Cover bowl tightly for 15 minutes.
• Divide dough into thirds and roll each piece into an 8 inch square a little more than 1/4 inch thick.
• While working with one keep others covered.
• Let stand 1 minute.
• Dust springerle mold with flour and press into dough.
• Cut cookies apart.
• Place on lightly floured surface and let stand overnight.
• Grease baking sheet and sprinkle with anise seeds.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Brush excess flour from cookies, moisten lightly with water and place on baking sheets.
• Bake about 20 minutes and store tightly covered.

SHORTBREAD SPRINGERLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Dissolve hartshorn in the milk for 1 hour.
• Beat eggs until thick and lemon coloured, about 10 minutes with a heavy duty mixed, longer with a hand mixer.
• Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, then the softened butter, beating until the mixture is creamy.
• Beat in the hartshorn and milk, salt, flavouring oil and grated citrus peel, if using.
• Gradually beat in as much of the flour as possible with the mixer, then stir in the rest of the flour to make a stiff dough.
• Turn the dough onto floured surface and knead in more flour until stiff enough to make a good print.
• The amount of flour needed will depend on the size of the eggs and amount of humidity.
• Dust a surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 1/3 " thickness.
• With a clean dry pastry brush, brush springerle molds with cake flour and press into the dough.
• Cut out cookies with a knife, pizza cutter, pastry wheel or cutter.
• Place cookies on a kitchen towel, uncovered, to dry for 2 to 24 hours.
• Bake on a greased or baker's parchment lined cookie sheet at 225 F to 325 F until barely golden on the bottom. This will take 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.
• Cool completely on rack and store in tins.
• They will keep for monthe and improve with age. They can be baked in October or November for Christmas.
• The number of cookies this recipe yields depends on the size and thickness of the cookies.
• Prep time does not include the 2 to 24 hour drying time.
• VARIATIONS:.
• Chocolate Springerle - Add 1 cup cocoa and 2 tsp vanilla or chocolate extract in place of other flavorings. For a lighter colored cookie, use chocolate flavor confectioner's sugar which is available in 1 lb boxes, plus 2 tsp of vanilla or chocolate extract.
• Cocoa-Mocha - Add 2 tbsp powdered (pulverize granules if necessary) instant coffee to milk plus either of the chocolate formulas given above.
• Citrus - Use 3 to 4 tsp oil of lemon or oil of orange, or 2 tsp oil and grated rind of 3 oranges or lemons.
• Oil of cinnamon, almond or peppermint - Use 1/2 tsp
• Vanilla - Use 4 or 5 tsp extract.