Pfeffernusse: I tried for too many years to get these cookies to "pop" (form the traditional topknot) without using baking powder. The cookies refused to work, and looked like dog biscuits! Taste was fine - it was the look. So I relented and now use the baking powder. Perhaps the old German cooks used ammonium carbide - I don't know. At any rate, note basic dough - 4 eggs, 1 lb. sugar, 3 1/2 cups of flour is identical to the Springerle base. PEPPERNUTS Recipe By : Elizabeth Emrich Schertzer/ Susan Hodem Emrich Categories : Christmas Baking Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 pound Verifine or Superfine gran. sugar -- substitute:10X sugar 4 whole eggs 1/4 pound finely ground almonds -- unskinned 4 ounces citron -- finely ground w/nuts 2 ounces candied lemon peel -- finely ground w/ nuts 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour -- may use more 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon Beat eggs, add sugar slowly, exactly like Springerles. Beat for 1/2 to 3/4 hour. (Do not add anise oil! of course). While still on mixer, add ground nuts, lemon and citron, which have been all finely ground together. When well mixed, add all sifted dry ingredients by hand. Dough should be stiff, but not too dry. May need up to 4 cups, depending on your weather. Roll out on floured board (or counter) to 1/4 inch plus thickness. Cut with small round cutter (about 3/4" diam to 1"). Place on marble or clean counter without them touching each other to dry overnight. Next morning, heat oven to 325°F . Check cookies' readiness for baking by looking at 'down' or under side. If there is a dry ring around a moist center, they are ready. TURN cookies UPSIDE down, so that the moist center is UP. (This is opposite of Springerles!) They do NOT spread, so they can be placed closely together on cookie sheet, but should not touch. Just before baking, dip end of finger into a little whiskey, rum, water, or lemon juice - your choice - and touch damp spot of EACH cookie lightly. Do not drown them. Bake immediately. They do best one tray at a time on a middle or slightly higher oven shelf. The damp spot should puff and form a little topknot. When that sets and the cookies have just begun to brown (look at bottoms too), they are done. Varies according to ovens - somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets (actually, they usually just slide off). Place in air tight cookie tin, and they freeze well. Can keep for months!! Note: other than what is in the eggs, there is NO additional fat in these cookies. The key to getting these to pop is the weather and the baking powder, which was (historically) a later addition. If you still cannot get them to pop, add 1/4 teas. more BP. If you live down south or in humid climate, you will have to let them dry longer than overnight. When we lived in Charlotte one year, it took 3 days to get them to dry, and they still did not pop right! It is definitely a cold dry climate cookie. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Another original recipe from Grossmutter, brought from Germany by her mother (Elizabeth Emrich Schertzer) or her grandmother (Susan Hodem Emrich). Made only at Christmastime. Regards, Nancy __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com