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Lebkuchen
These spicy gingerbread-like bars, which are
traditional holiday fare in Germany, contain no fat
save that in the egg. Still they're almost as
addictive, with their hard sugar glaze and their
nippy bite of crystallized ginger (substituted for
the more typical citron, unless you really happen to
like that particular ingredient). They keep very
well too, especially when a piece of apple is tucked
into their airtight container to soften them.
They're a perfect accompaniment to hot tea after a
blustery afternoon of scouring the shops for
just-right presents.
Bars
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
2 teaspoons each lemon peel and orange peel, or 1/4
teaspoon each lemon oil and orange oil
2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 rounded tablespoons diced crystallized ginger,
finely ground*
Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons brandy or apple juice (or a
combination)
*A small food processor is the tool we prefer for
this task.
In a medium saucepan, bring the honey and brown
sugar to a boil while stirring occasionally. Remove
the mixture from the heat and cool it until it's
just warm.
In a large bowl, beat together the cooled honey
mixture, the egg, and the lemon and orange peel or
oil. Add the flour, baking soda, almonds, spices and
ground crystallized ginger and beat until very
well-combined. The dough will be on the stiff side,
but also very sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate
it overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly
grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a
9 x 13-inch rectangle. Carefully transfer the dough
rectangle to the prepared pan, either by wrapping it
around the rolling pin and then unfolding it into
the pan, or using a giant spatula. Try to fit the
dough into the pan without pressing down too hard
around its edges; otherwise these areas will be
dense and tough.
Bake the bars for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a cake
tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Prepare the glaze while the bars are baking by
stirring the brandy or apple juice into the
confectioners' sugar and mixing until smooth.
Transfer the baked bars to a cooling rack and
immediately brush on the glaze with a pastry brush;
let the glaze soak into the bars somewhat before
applying another layer.
Let cool completely before cutting into 1 x 2-inch
bars. Store the bars in an airtight container with a
slice of apple (for its softening powers). If you
make the lebkuchen 2 to 3 days ahead of time,
they'll taste even better. Yield: 54 bars.
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