Aenisguetzli
a traditional Swiss Christmas cookie
Servings: 6 dozen or more
- 5 eggs
- 2 ½ c. sugar
- 4 c. flour, einkorn or white all-purpose more if needed
- 1 ½ T. ground anise
Combine eggs and sugar. Beat for a long time, until the mixture is fluffy and lightens in color.
Roll ¼" thick on a floured board and use cookie cookies to make shapes. Let them set on wax paper overnight covered with a dish towel or plastic wrap.
Grease pans or line with parchment paper and place soft side of cookies down to bake. You can place them close together, since the cookies will puff up, not spread out.
Bake at 275 degrees until turning color. (Instead of watching the tops, I look at the bottoms and bake until they're golden brown and no longer soft. This can take 20 minutes or so.)
About the anise: Use aniseed, like this one, not star anise. I prefer to buy the whole seed and grind it in my coffee grinder as needed. The original family recipe says to add "up to" 1/2 cup of ground anise. (!) We all prefer the more subtle flavor of a lesser amount.
I used all-purpose einkorn flour. It works perfectly yet doesn't seem to affect my highly gluten-sensitive self like regular bleached white flour.