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Springerle

Ingredients
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons anise seed, crushed
zest of one lemon
3-4 cups flour
¼ teaspoon double-acting baking powder

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl until light, about 5 minutes. While mixer is running, slowly add sugar and beat until well-mixed and frothy and pale yellow. Add and fold in anise seed and lemon zest. Mix together baking powder and flour and stir in, mixing well, a cup at a time. Dough should be fairly stiff. Turn out onto rolling surface, making sure to use enough flour to keep it from sticking. Roll dough out to about 1/3 or ½ inch, depending on how deep your molds are. Dust molds or rolling pin with flour, shaking off excess, and press into dough to make a good imprint. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut out and trim cookies. Carefully lift with a spatula to a bread board or a cloth covered cookie sheet. Cookies should dry for 6 to 24 hours. This sets the impression. Cookies may be painted with food coloring* diluted with water before cooking at 300 F for 20-25 minutes, or until barely golden on the bottom of the cookie.

Springerles will last a long time, but will get very hard. To help keep them soft, store them in a container with a couple of apple peel strips.

*Food coloring may also be mixed with egg yolk for a shiny glaze.