Springerle Press on Day 2 of Springerle Making

Today's the day the springerle cookies got baked. Springerles are the German response to the Italian biscotti. Both are hard cookies, suitable for dunking in a strong (sometimes hot) beverage.

There are two main differences between springerles and biscotti. The first is that springerles are not twice-baked. Rather, they are dried overnight, then baked in a lower temperature oven for 18-26 minutes. The most striking difference, however, is in the appearance. Springerles are rolled twice: first, with a regular rolling pin to even out the dough. Then a second pass is made with a special rolling pin, usually made of wood, with decorations carved into it. The cookies are then cut apart and placed onto cookie sheets strewn with anise seed and let to dry overnight for 10-12 hours. It's only after that when they are finally baked, and I try to keep it to just 20 minutes.

Mine turned out perfectly this year. The ones baked on a metal cookie sheet were darker and harder (but far from burnt) than the ones baked on unglazed stoneware. I use Pampered Chef stoneware -- it's awesome. It actually makes a huge difference in my cooking, and is worth every penny difference in cost from any metal bakeware or anything ceramic that's got a glaze on it.

The biscotti are baked as a large, flat loaf first, let to cool, then sliced and rebaked. This is how they get their lovely, dry texture, so ideal for dunking in hot chocolate or coffee.

Springerles are a major part of the Christmas holidays in my family. Last year when I made them for my dad, he was very pleased and made the terribly wistful comment that now that Mom is gone, there's no one to bake him cookies. This year he has a rather wonderful girlfriend. I love Ginny a lot, but I have a feeling that (while she provides him with much other that he needs) she's not a cookie person. So I know it's my responsibility to bake the springerles.

When I woke up with my entire chest on fire the day after Christmas I despaired of getting any Christmas baking done for this year. I'm still not recovered completely yet. But I got the holly cookies done (marshmallows, butter, vanilla, cornflakes, green food coloring, and red cinnamon candies) and now the springerles. If I do no other cookies, I'm satisfied.

Obsessive? Hmm. Perhaps. More fearful of ghosts of certain female ancestors coming and giving me what for if I failed in this...