German Springerle

Makes 150 cookies

1 pound, 12 ounces whole egg (roughly 14 eggs)

3 pounds, 4 ounces granulated sugar 1⁄2 6 ounces powdered sugar 1⁄4 ounce salt ounce ammonia bicarbonate 15 drops anise oil 3⁄4 ounce anise (1⁄2 ground, 2 pounds pastry flour 3 pounds cake flour 1⁄2 seeds)

Heat oven to 335 degrees.

Whip eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Then, incorporate powdered sugar, ammonia bicarbonate, anise oil, ground anise and anise seeds into whipped mixture.

Sieve the flours into a large bowl. Add whipped mixture to the sieved flour and mix by hand.

Flour your surface or baking sheet and place dough on top. Cover with a damp cloth.

Roll dough in workable amounts to about 1⁄2-inch-thick. Imprint with your springerle press. Cut the cookies. If the dough gets too stiff, mist with water and knead.

Let the cut cookies rest, uncovered, for at least 6 hours or up to a day.

Bake at 335 with door cracked open for 30 minutes. Then check for golden bottoms.