Springerle

Cute and handmade

When the springerle was invented exactly, no one knows. But since the Middle Ages, this baked good has been decorated with images. One assumes that the beginnings of the springerle are tied to the ecclesiastical baking of hosts, as Christian symbols were first used. They were baked with an appropriate motif on Christian holidays such as Easter, Pentecost and Christmas and for family festivities such as weddings and baptisms. In the 17th and 18th centuries, more and more secular images became popular, such as those representing happiness, love or fertility.

The large number of molds available today is thanks, in part, to Gisela Asseraf-Schulz. She has revived the springerle tradition in the past few years with a lot of heart and soul. In her workshop, she creates (with help from her family) lasered baking molds and wooden rolling pins. The patterned molds and rolling pins were once used primarily to bake Nuremberg "Eierzucker" (= springerle) or butter cookies. Ceramic and other formable substances can also be decorated with motifs. She operates the small shop "Art & Delikat" at Trödelmarkt 45 in Nuremberg, in which you can discover her molds the whole year long.

Need to know: Springerle are a real work of art and very delicious - with a crispy crust outside and a soft interior. A good springerle rises quickly in the oven and therefore gets its typical "foot". So that all goes well, it's not only the right recipe that plays an important role, but also some tips and tricks during preparation, which we'd like to share with you.

The dough consists of only a few ingredients: Eggs, powdered sugar, flour and some ammonium bicarbonate. The eggs must be thoroughly whipped and after adding the powdered sugar you should beat the mixture again thoroughly until a creamy and foamy mass is created. It is best to add the flour spoonful by spoonful as to not damage the airy structure of the mass. Once you have added all the ingredients, you will see that the springerle dough is quite soft and difficult to work with. Chill it for at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator (make sure it is in an airtight container so that the dough doesn't dry out). Now you can roll it out (approx. 0.5 cm to 1 cm thick), cut out shapes and press them.

Advocates of traditional springerle would no doubt be content with only the addition of anise. For those who don't like anise, there are many alternatives that taste just as good. Very good! Instead of placing anise on the baking sheet, you can use other spices and aromas to give your springerle a different flavor. For example, for Orange Vanilla Springerle put the grated rind of one organic orange and the pulp of one vanilla bean in the dough. For Lemon Ginger Springerle put the grated rind of 1-2 organic lemons and 2 teaspoons grated ginger to knead into the mass. Cardamom or lavender are also good matches for the dough.