European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Should be stored for one week to let the flavors Mellow before they can be eaten. Bui German Cooks will Tell you that Spring Erle must Ripen in their Container for at least three or four weeks before they Are ready to eat. That s Why Many germans bake their Christmas Spring Erle Well before the beginning of Advent. Like other popular German Christmas cookies such As a Hefferna  Pepper nuts and Zimt Sterne cinnamon Star Springer be contain no butter and hence were among the Holiday foods that could be eaten by people who in former times observed religious fasting Laws which forbade the consumption of butter during Advent. Although such customs Are Seldom followed today Spring Erle can still be eaten in Good conscience by dieters since each cookie contains Only 30 calories. Spring Erle Are not just for munching though. Sometimes described As better to look at than to eat these cookies painted or unpainted make very Nice decorations of hang on your Christmas tree. You can also tie them onto gifts As personalized tags. Make gift tags Only out of decorative Salt dough recipe follows because House pets and Small children Are Likely to eat any Sweet cookies tied to packages under the Christmas tree some germans even give Large elaborate intricately painted Spring Erle cookies As Christmas cards. In former times the designs on these decorative cookies were tinted with colors extracted from plants but chemically produced paints Are used today. The following recipe for Spring Erle cookies is a very traditional one which produces edible cookies that can be eaten Plain or painted with food colors. They can also be used As Christmas tree decorations. Although usually served with Coffee or Tea these cookies Are delicious accompanied by a Glass of chilled alsatian White wine not too dryer a Glass of chilled German Auslee wine. The recipe for Marzipan Spring Erle confections illustrates How Spring Erle holds can be used for making Marzipan candies that look like Spring Erle cookies but taste like Almond paste. These very Rich Marzipan confections make an elegant addition to any dessert tray and they re especially Nice to serve with Coffee after a meal. Saltztein Salt dough Spring Erle Are inedible decoration for hanging on the Christmas tree or tying onto packages. Inexpensive and easy to make these Salt dough decorations can be painted if desired to enhance the designs stamped on them. All of these recipes produce charming traditionally German treats which Are certain to brighten up your holidays and to please both children and adults. For a very personal gift give someone a Box of homemade Spring Erle cookies or Spring Erle Marzipan confections. And a Spring Erle rolling pin or a selection of Flat Spring Erle holds along with a copy of the following recipes makes an especially Nice gift with a copy for a Friend who likes to bake. Notes about Spring Erle cookie holds antique Spring Erle holds command Premium Price today but new wooden holds Aren t prohibitively expensive and Wax or Terra Cotta copies of old Spring Erle holds Cost even less. Although sold primarily As decorations Many of these Clay and unpainted Wax holds can also be used for making Spring Erle cookies wooden Spring Erle holds can be purchased in Germany and Northern Europe in the cookware sections of most department stores and at the outdoor Christmas Market held in Many towns during Advent. These carved wooden holds Are both functional and pretty. Hang them in your Kitchen As decorations when they Aren t being used for wooden cookie holds should never be put in water. Newly purchased ones should be rubbed very Well with Corn Oil or Saff lower Oil and left overnight for the Oil to soak in. Some recipes instruct you to dust the holds with flour or cornstarch or confectioners sugar before using them to stamp the dough. But most German Baters refuse to flour their holds contending that flour a the Mold reduce the Sharpness of the a Ign instead they suggest flouring Only the top of the and re Oil them lightly before storing them in cupboards or on the Wall. If you Don t have Access to traditional Spring Erle holds you can still make these Christmas cookies. Use carved wooden butter holds cheese holds or bread Stamps found in Many areas especially in Southern Europe. If no wooden holds Are available you can even use a Annily Cut Crystal wineglass. Dust the outer surface of the Glass lightly with flour and Roll the Glass firmly Over the dough to imprint designs on the surface. Then Cut the patterned dough in squares or circles with a knife or cookie Cutter. Spring Erle cookies 4 Large eggs 1 Pound 4 cups confectioners sugar 1 Pound 4 cups All purpose flour 1 Teaspoon baking powder crated Rind of 1 Lemon / Teaspoon Anise Oil or 1 Tablespoon Anise liqueur optional sift first then measure by spooning lightly into a measuring cup and leveling off the top with a knife let the eggs come to room temperature. Sift and measure the confectioners sugar set aside. Sift the flour once measure it then sift again with the baking powder set aside. Grate the Lemon Rind. In a Large mixing bowl beat the eggs with an electric mixer on High Speed for 10 minutes until the eggs Are very Pale and thick. Reduce mixer Speed to medium add the sugar 2 Tablespoons at a time while you continue beating. After All the sugar has been added beat on High Speed for 10 minutes longer. Stir in the grated Lemon Rind. Gradually stir in the flour v cup at a time mixing with a Large wooden spoon until the dough is smooth. Then Transfer the dough to a poured pastry Board and knead by hand for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth and does t stick to your hands. Wrap the dough securely in plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Lust before the dough finishes chilling lightly butter 2 Large cookie sheets. Put the Anise seeds in a Small plastic bag and crush them lightly with a rolling pin. Sprinkle the Anise seeds evenly Over the 2 cookie sheets. Lightly four a pastry Board you can use confectioners sugar instead of flour if desired. Break off one fourth of the chilled dough leaving the remainder wrapped in plastic at room temperature. Working quickly because the dough dries rapidly use a Plain rolling pin to Roll out the dough to a thickness of Inch. Dust the top of the dough with flour cornstarch or confectioners sugar. If using Flat holds Spring Erle boards press them firmly into the dough to stamp the designs on the dough. If using a Spring Erle rolling pin Roll it Only once firmly across the Sheet of dough. Use a Sharp knife or pizza Cutter to Cut Spring Erle into individual cookies each with a separate design stamped in the Middle. For fancier cookies use a fluted roller to Cut the dough apart if you plan to use the cookies As Christmas tree ornaments punch a Hole in the top of each one with a skewer. After baking put a ribbon or piece of yarn through the Hole and hang the cookies on the tree with a Spatula Transfer the Spring Erle cookies to the prepared baking sheets placing the cookies i Inch apart. Continue rolling and cutting the dough in this manner re rolling any dough scraps until All the dough has been used. Let the cookies sit in the open air uncovered at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours to dry thoroughly before baking. Place them in a Safe place where children and House Pels can t steal them the next Day pre heat the oven to 300 degrees f. Bake the cookies on the Middle rack of the oven 1 baking Sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes. Watch to make sure that the Spring Erle Don t Over bade. They should be White on top and Pale Golden on the Bottom. Immediately remove the Spring Erle cookies from the baking sheets and Transfer them to wire Racks to Cool for at least 1 hour. Brush the remaining Anise seeds off he cookie sheets and into an airtight Container that you will use for storing the Spring Erle. When the Spring Erle have cooled completely put them in the airtight Container with half an Apple or a slice of bread set on top o the cookies to make the cookies soften while their flavor is developing. Leave the cookies in the Container for at least a week by. Change the Apple or bread every few Days to present Mold from growing. Many German Cooks insist that Spring Erle Ripen for 3 to 4 weeks before serving Spring Erle can also be Frozen stack them in a plastic Freezer Container with a piece of waved paper Between each layer of cookies. Maks approximately 60 2-Inch Square Spring Erle cookies. Yield will vary depending on the size of cookie holds used note Spring Erle cookies can be left totally White or the designs on them can be painted with edible colouring materials to produce Beautiful Christmas treats. If you plan to hang the cookies on the Christmas tree As decorations and you Don t intend o eat them Thon the designs can be painted with tempera colors or acrylic paints. Marzipan Spring Erle confections 6 cups sifted confectioners sugar 1 Pound 450 Grams Almond paste 1 seven ounce Jar marshmallow Creme cup Light com syrup v Teaspoon Almond extract / Teaspoon Anise Oil or 1 Tablespoon Anise liqueur grated Rind of 1 Lemon sift the confectioners sugar before measuring it then set aside in a medium size bowl. Crumble the Almond paste into a Large bowl. Add the marshmallow Creme Corn syrup Almond extract Anise Oil or Anise liqueur and grated Lemon Rind. Mix with a Large Fork or with a potato Masher until Well blended. Add the confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time kneading by hand to incorporate All the sugar. Knead until All the ingredients Are Well mixed and a soft dough is formed. The dough will be very Sticky and Messy at first so it s Nice to have children or elves in the Kitchen  kneading shape the dough into a Ball cover securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Line 2 Large baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly Sprinkle confectioners sugar Over them. Dust a pastry Board with confectioners sugar. Break off one fourth of the Marzipan dough and Roll and Cut it according to the directions for Spring Erle cookies using Only confectioners sugar to dust the pastry Board and the top of the dough. Continue rolling and cutting the dough until All of it has been used. With a Spatula Transfer he Marzipan Spring Erle to the prepared baking sheets and let the confections dry uncovered at room temperature for 12 hours or overnight. Then Transfer them to wire Racks for another 12 hours so the Bottoms of the Marzipan can dry. Store the Marzipan Spring Erle lightly stacked in a shallow covered Container. Makes 60 to 70 2-Inch Square confections. 1 Spring Erle Salt dough Christmas decorations p 1 cup flour 1 cup Salt i cup water flour or cornstarch for dusting in a medium size bowl mix the flour and Salt then add the water mixing by hand to form a smooth dough. Sift cornstarch lightly Over 2 baking sheets. Dust a pastry Board with flour or cornstarch. Working quickly because the Salt dough dries rapidly Roll and Cut the Spring Erle decorations according to the directions for Singerle cookies. Roll out the dough to a thickness of slightly less than v Inch before stamping the designs with the wooden holds. Cut the Spring Erle decorations As directed use a skewer to punch a Hole in the top of each one and Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Set both baking sheets in a tas oven with the Pilot Light on or in an electric oven turned to its lowest setting with the oven door ajar for at least 2 to 3 hours or until the Salt dough decorations Are very dry on top. Transfer them to wire Racks so the Bottoms will dry and let them sit in a dry place at room temperature for another 24 hours or until the Salt dough has dried completely. Salt dough Spring Erle decorations can be used in their Plain White form or the details of the designs on them can be painted with tempera or acrylic paints. Thread a piece of yarn or ribbon through the Hole in each decoration and hang them on the Christmas tree. Do not try to eat these decorations makes approximately 40 2-Inch Square ill dough Spring Erle decorations. Cd 1h5 slur on Hix mint december 19,1945 stripes Magazine