by connie on June 24, 2010
The phone rang at 6 am on Monday, June 9; I had been expecting the call. My grandmother, Nini, had died at 4 am at the age of 94. Those of you who know me, or have some familiarity with House on the Hill, will know that the Springerle recipe I share is called “Nini’s Perfection Springerle”. And, yes, this is the same Nini, short for Venita Patterson, who shared her holiday baking traditions with me. When she stopped baking Springerle and I took over for my family, none of us had any idea that her baking influence would have such an impact on my life and its direction. She was so proud of me and so delighted that I was sharing her recipe.
What you don’t know is that Nini was the most loving and caring grandmother to me. To appreciate her care, you must understand that she was my step-grandmother; in explanation she was married briefly to my grandfather and became the primary parent of my father and his brother. She continued her care of the two brothers after her divorce from my grandfather and was my father’s major mother figure always. And so she chose us, my father, then his wife, my mother, and then me and my two brothers. I had no concept of this as a child, but only thought of her as my grandmother. Not until many years later did I ponder and wonder at the gift of being chosen. There was no legal obligation, no moral imperative, nor social accountability requiring her to continue to nurture and cherish us. And yet she did. She loved us and we loved her in return.
My passion for Springerle was born out of the affection I have for Nini. How could I not love a cookie shared by a doting and favorite grandmother? Her heart was so much bigger than her 4 foot 10 inch body and I received so much more from her than a cookie legacy.
How fortunate and wondrous it is to be the beneficiary of unconditional love.
Rest in Peace, Nini.
With grateful love,
Connie
by connie on February 16, 2010
I am often asked by those who have never seen or eaten a springerle, “What is a springerle cookie?.” So for the uninitiated, let me provide a basic decription. The traditional springerle is a dense, dry, cake-like anise flavored cookie with an embossed design printed on its top surface. It is very white on top and usually is slightly golden on its bottom surface. To maintain the beautiful design, the dough is a very stiff dough that is relatively low in fat and sugar and has a high proportion of egg, which is beaten for a long time to aid in a lighter texture. There is a lower amount of leavening than other cookies, so that the cookie does not burst through the top surface.
Modern alterations to the basic cookies have primarily been to the flavor, as anise is not as popular in the US as in Europe, and certainly is one of those “love it or hate it” tastes. Although anise is still my favorite( I grew up with these cookies, only in anise), I personally like the lemon and orange flavors very much, but why not try any flavor you like? The flavor is important, since the cookie is not very rich or sweet, so use good flavoring oils and be aware that they are much stronger than extracts or alcohol based flavorings.
by connie on April 27, 2009
I have had quite a few questions about baking Springerle at high altitudes. I have absolutely no experience with this and would like some help from my readers. My immediate response is to cut the leavening in half and lower the baking temperature by 25 degress, but I have been informed that this is not working. Any suggestions, help, disaster stories or successes would be greatly appreciated and shared. Please – all you mountain bakers – help!!!
Thank you lots!!! Connie
by connie on August 21, 2008
Yes, it’s the ingredient that stumps you. Hartshorn is also known as baker’s ammonia and ammonium carbonate. It is an old time leavening that literally used to be made from ground deer horn. Hart is the German work for deer and that is how it is so named. It is not commonly found in everyday groceries. Years ago I would purchase hartshorn (and also anise oil) at a pharmacy; that was back when pharmacies did compounding and mixing right in their shops. Not something easily found these days. Thus, many people started substituting baking powder in their springerle. I still really like hartshorn as it produces a fluffier, lighter and softer texture in springerle. Some springerle lovers grew up with the baking powder version and actually prefer the harder cookie that is the result….and that’s just fine.
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by connie on August 9, 2008
I just returned from a business/pleasure trip to Boston. While touring the Freedom Trail and exploring the city on foot, I popped my head into as many antique stores as possible. I am always hoping to stumble upon a springerld mold to add to my collection and will willingly cart it around. No luck! It is also my habit to check out the offerings of local bakeries to see if they offer up any German pasteries. Alas – no springerle – although not really the right time of year to find them.
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by connie on July 28, 2008
Is their unique taste, pristine beauty, or family tradition that makes springerle so special? It’s all of those and I’d have a tough time deciding which of these factors is number one on my list of springerle qualities. In fact, please don’t ask me to decide!
And so, here we begin a journal for all who have a passion for springerle. I’ll share stories, techniques and comments about these cookies that are too pretty to eat. But eat them we must, because their dense cake-like texture and the traditional anise flavor tempt us with with taste and memories!
Welcome all who hold dear the family recipe, the grandma’s baking lessons and the holiday memories!
Connie Meisinger
