Working on my presentation game...

In past years, I've often wished I had the artistic talent to make cookies that looked as good as they tasted.  This year, I took a chance on a new cookie and a new technique to try to remedy that.

Springerle are a very old and very odd German cookie (they've been traced back to at least the 1300's and are traditionally flavored with anise) that is unlike any other I've ever baked.  Not only does it involve beating the eggs for over 40 minutes (!), but you also dry the dough for 24-48 hours prior to baking the cookies, and they're apparently "best" after 3-4 weeks!  On the plus side, they can hold very intricate designs flawlessly, and although they're very impressive as they are, you can also hand-paint them to create a truly beautiful work of art.  Plus, the fact that you can (and should) bake them ahead of time means that you also have plenty of time to decorate them before it's crunch time getting ready for the event where you're serving them.