Springerle Cookies

Step 1: Dissolve baker's ammonia in the milk for 1 hour.

Step 2: Beat eggs until thick and lemon coloured, about 10 minutes with a heavy duty mixed, longer with a hand mixer.

Step 3: Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, then the softened butter, beating until the mixture is creamy.

Step 4: Beat in the hartshorn and milk, salt, flavouring oil and grated citrus peel, if using.

Step 5: Gradually beat in as much of the flour as possible with the mixer, then stir in the rest of the flour to make a stiff dough.

Step 6: Turn the dough onto floured surface and knead in more flour until stiff enough to make a good print. (The amount of flour needed will depend on the size of the eggs and amount of humidity.

Step 7: Dust a surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 1/3 " thickness.

Step 8: With a clean dry pastry brush, brush springerle molds with cake flour and press into the dough.

Step 9: Cut out cookies with a knife, pizza cutter, pastry wheel or cutter.

Step 10: Place cookies on a kitchen towel, uncovered, to dry for 2 to 24 hours.

Step 11: Bake on a greased or baker's parchment lined cookie sheet at 225 F to 325 F until barely golden on the bottom. This will take 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.

Step 12: Cool completely on rack and store in tins.