| 1 | Preparation time: 40 minutes standing time: 1 hour plus overnight cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes aging time: 1 week or more |
| 2 | Mash baker"s ammonia with a rolling pin if it is not powdered. |
| 3 | Dissolve it in the milk in a small bowl and let stand 1 hour before using. |
| 4 | Beat eggs in large bowl of electric mixer until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. |
| 5 | Gradually beat in confectioners" sugar until creamy and smooth. |
| 6 | Add butter and beat again until creamy. |
| 7 | Add anise oil, dissolved baker"s ammonia and salt; beat to mix. |
| 8 | Gradually beat in enough flour to make a stiff dough. |
| 9 | 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. |
| 10 | Roll out on a lightly floured board with a floured rolling pin to ?inch thickness. |
| 11 | Press design on dough with a floured springerle rolling pin or mold. |
| 12 | Cut cookies apart using a floured knife. |
| 13 | Leave on work surface covered with a clean kitchen towel overnight. |
| 14 | The next day, heat oven to 325 degrees. |
| 15 | Bake cookies on greased baking sheets, until barely golden on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. |
| 16 | Cool on wire racks. |
| 17 | Store in tightly covered tins and allow to mellow at least 1 week before serving. |
| 18 | note: this recipe also can be made using 1 ?teaspoons baking powder (in place of the milk and the baker"s ammonia) and anise extract instead of anise oil. |
| 19 | However, the cookies will not be as delicately textured and the anise flavor not quite as rich. |
| 20 | If using baking powder, add it with the salt to the batter. |
| 21 | connie meisinger of buffalo grove tied for third place with this recipe |
