This is my recipe for Springerele that is in our church cookbook, including the story about my Springerele molds at the end. 8 eggs room temperature 8 ¼ cups four 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp Anise extract or ¼ tsp anise oil ½ c water Anise seed optional 2 lbs powdered sugar, separated 1 tsp salt-optional In a medium bowl beat the egg yolks and 1 lb of the sugar, for 15 minutes on high speed with an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar. In a large bowl beat the other lb of sugar and the egg whites for 15 minutes again adding the sugar gradually. Combine the yolk mixture in the egg white mixture bowl and beat until blended. Add the anise extract or the oil and the water. Mix the baking powder in the flour and add the flour mixture gradually to the egg mixture Mix first with a mixer and then with hands and a wooden spoon. Dough should be stiff, not dry, and not too sticky. If too dry add a little water, if too sticky add a little flour. Roll dough out until it is between ½ to ¾ inch thick. Press on the mold and cut out the cookies. Place cookies close together on a clean dish towel, sprinkled with anise seed (optional) Let cookies dry overnight. To bake brush each cookie with water and bake in a 325 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the button is just starting to get golden but not brown. Carefully remove from pan cook and store in an air tight container. Depending on the side of your cookie molds, should yield between 5 and 7 dozen. I am fortunate enough to have, as one of my most prized possessions, 6 wooden Springerele molds that belong to my great grandmother Anna Dorothy Schaible Jenter, my grandmother Cora Grossmann Jenter, my two great aunts, Emilie Jenter Spafard, and Emma Grossmann Dresselhouse, and my dear friend Amanda Glatz. I learned how to make Springerele when I was a small girl, barely able to reach the counter. Each year as I take out my prize molds, I think of grandmothers, aunts and dear friends making Springerele too. My recipe call for beating the eggs with powdered sugar for 15 minutes with an electric mixer. Now my great grandmother, and probably my grandmother and aunts as young girls, did not have electric mixers, but each year patiently carried on the family tradition of mixing eggs, sugar, flour and anise by hand, a task that not man of us would create by hand today. In our world of microwave ovens, blenders and every modern kitchen aid known to man, I would, in a flash, give up all my modern kitchen conveniences for one change to spend the day at the elbow of my grandmother, my aunts and my dear friend, creating wonderful works of art, Springerele. Karen L. Jenter A few hints and tricks: We like our cookies crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. By beating the sugar and eggs for 15 minutes, it makes them soft inside. To keep them soft, add a slice of fresh bread to the container. Change the slice of bread as needed. I bake my cookies on baking parchment paper. When you take them out of the oven, let them set a few minute and you can carefully peel the cookies from the paper. If you are careful enough, just brush off any crumbs and use the paper again. You can bake several sheets of cookies using the same paper. Discard paper for fresh if it gets ripped or brittle. Cookies can be baked ahead and left to mellow in the air tight containers. These cookies freeze well and pack very well for shipping and mailing. Karen JENTER Michigan USA