Lebkuchen

This is another traditional german christmas cookie which is quite similar to gingerbread.  This recipe has been passed down to me by my hubby's ex-colleague's mum who is a good baker herself and I will bake this cookie every christmas without fail!  It is advisable to bake this cookie weeks before Christmas in order that the flavours are infused.

Ingredients (yields about 60 pieces):
350 g sugar
250 g ground hazelnuts
250 g sultanas, to be finely chopped
100 g candied lemon peel (Zitronat), to be finely chopped
100 g candied orange peel (Orangeat), to be finely chopped
5 eggs
a shot of Cognac
125 g melted butter
4 tbsp flour
ca. 125 g breadcrumbs (Semmelbrössel)
80 g or 2 packets (à 40g) ground cinnamon (gemahlene Zimt von “Ostmann”)
7,5 g or ½ packet ground clove (gemahlene Nelken von „Ostmann“)
7,5 g or ½ packet potash (Pottasche von “Ostmann“)
1 packet wafer (Oblaten) Ø 50 mm

Glace: 250 g icing sugar (Puderzucker) + 3 - 4 tbsp water (depending to your taste)

Method:
Sift all spices together with flour into a bowl.  Whisk melted butter, eggs and sugar until creamy. Add in all other ingredients except the glace ingredients and mix well. Place about 1 tbsp of mixture on a wafer and spread evenly forming a slight bulge in the middle.  Note:  One can buy a Lebkuchen plastic portioner in any german supermarket or order online from Küchle or Amazon.de.

Bake in a preheated oven 180º (fan oven) on 2nd rack from bottom for about 10 minutes.  Leave to cool on baking sheets.

Prepare glace ingredients and lightly glace the Lebkuchen evenly.  Leave to dry at room temperature. Store Lebkuchen between layers of pergament paper in a cake tin.

Happy Baking!