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German Christmas cookies (Lebkuchen)

"Andreas Wagner" <Andreas.Wagner@wanadoo.fr>
Sat, 15 Jun 2002 22:00:11 +0200
v102.n026.14
Rick Krall wrote:
 >When I was a boy, a friend's mother used to make Christmas cookies that I
 >loved.  I can't recall anything about them except they were hard as rocks
 >but absolutely delicious.  She's now 94, and in speaking with her recently
 >she mentioned that they are from the German side of her family and are
 >formally called "leebkooken," which I assume is properly spelled
 >"Liebkuchen."  I could ask for more, but I'm reluctant to pry into her
 >family's tradition.


The Christmas cookies are a big thing in Germany, and lots of families bake 
many varieties in the run up to Christmas - we did fourteen different sorts 
one year.  Lebkuchen describes a variety of different cookies, some of them 
made only with nuts, some with a mix of nuts and flour.  They all seem to 
have in common that they are spiced.  I have a recipe which was passed down 
by my grandmother for Lebkuchen, which turn rock hard when they are baked 
and fresh, but they soften beautifully in time for Christmas - they are 
usually baked early November, so they are ready to eat during Advent.  The 
recipe uses an ingredient called "Kunsthonig" - invert sugar syrup, which 
I've not been able to find in either England or France.  It has a very 
light colour, and looks almost like lard in texture - I've successfully 
substituted honey for it, but the taste changes depending on the honey you use.

Baseler Lebkuchen

1250 g flour
500 g sugar
4 eggs
500 g invert sugar syrup or honey
15 g baking soda
100 g mixed peel, chopped
100 g coarsely ground nuts
1 level teaspoon each ground cinnamon and ground cloves
grated peel of one lemon, or almond essence, or rum for flavouring.

warm the honey slightly to make it runny.  Beat eggs and sugar together 
until white and creamy, add the honey and then the remaining dry 
ingredients which have been mixed together.  This should make a fairly firm 
but sticky dough.  Leave it to rest in the fridge or larder overnight, then 
roll out about 1/2 cm thick on a floured board, and stamp out shapes.  Bake 
at 180 C (350 F) for 10 minutes and decorate them as you like - this part 
is great fun, especially if you bake with children.  Keep them in tins in a 
cool place until ready to eat  -  if they don't soften up in time, add a 
few slices of apple placed on some waxed paper and check every other day.