Springerle

In addition to the fun calendar another part of my gift from my mother was two new to me rolling pins.  they were found at a fun shop that sells antiques and repurposed items. I have a collection of rolling pins and the two new additions are specialty pins.  One is a carved wood pin that is used to make a German cookie called springerle.  To be honest I have never had an opportunity to eat springerle.  Our family has German roots as well as the Norwegian and Swedish but we have not really embraced that part of our heritage.  Yet.   

I did some research, looking for a recipe for the springerle.  The dough is mixed up and chilled and then rolled out with a standard rolling pin.  Then it is rolled again with the carved pin creating an embossed design on the dough.  The cookies are cut apart and placed on a tea towel that has been sprinkled with anise seeds.  The cookies sit uncovered overnight to dry and then are baked the next day.  The process of drying the cookies is done to maintain the embossed design during the baking. 

 I made the dough, rolled out the cookies and they are now drying on the counter. 

Tomorrow I will be baking them.  And then I will be giving my other specialty rolling pin--a ravioli pin--a test run.