Honey, almonds and spices mark this Christmas season favorite. Home-baked cookies are still the best and can be kept at room temperature for several weeks in a closed cookie jar. In fact, they taste better than fresh.
Makes 40 Lebkuchen
Prep Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 14 oz almonds, ground - about 3 cups
- 1/4 cup each candied citrus peel and orange peel, chopped fine
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 egg yolk, for the glaze
- 40 almonds, brown skin removed, for decoration
- Makes 40 cookies
Preparation:
Beat the eggs and the sugar until foamy. Sift the flour with the baking powder, then add it to the egg/sugar mixture, together with the candied peel, almond meal, and spices. Mix until a stiff dough forms, then place it, wrapped, in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350° F. Roll out the dough about 1/2 inch thick on a floured cutting board and cut it into 2”x3” rectangles with a knife. Transfer to a cookie sheet. Mix the egg yolk with a little water and paint it onto the rectangles. Place an almond half on each cookie.
Bake for 20 min. or until set and light brown. Cool on a cooling rack.
