1993 3rd Place: Springerle -

2 tb Milk

6 Eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 lb Confectioners' sugar

(about 6 cups) 1/2 c Unsalted butter, softened

1/2 ts Anise oil

1/2 ts Salt

2 lb Cake flour, sifted

(about 8 cups)

10 to 12 minutes Aging time:

1 week or more

1. Mash baker's ammonia with a rolling pin if it is not powdered.

1 hour before using.

2. Beat eggs in large bowl of electric mixer until thick and 5 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until creamy and smooth. Add butter and beat again until creamy. Add anise oil, dissolved baker's ammonia and salt; beat to mix. Gradually beat in enough flour to make a stiff dough.

3. Cut off pieces of dough and work in more flour on a floured work

1/4-inch thickness. Press design on dough with a floured springerle rolling pin or mold. Cut cookies apart using a floured knife. Leave on work surface covered with a clean kitchen towel overnight.

4. The next day, heat oven to

325 degrees. Bake cookies on greased

10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in tightly covered tins and allow to mellow at least

1 week before serving. Note: This recipe also can be made using

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (in place of the milk and the baker's ammonia) and anise extract instead of anise oil. However, the cookies will not be as delicately textured and the anise flavor not quite as rich. If using baking powder, add it with the salt to the batter. Connie Meisinger of Buffalo Grove tied for third place with this recipe. from the Chicago Tribune sixth annual Food Guide Holiday Cookie Contest December

2, 1993 --