These simplified German gingerbread squares are brushed with honey and decorated with ground walnuts. A great German Christmas cookie based on traditional Lebkuchen, adapted for the home baker.
Ingredients
- 1-2/3 cups unsalted butter 200g
- 1 cup sugar 125g
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 4 large eggs
- 4-1/2 cups flour 500g
- 2-1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-1/2 teaspoons gingerbread spice Lebkuchengewürz
- 2 oz candied lemon peel 50g
- 2 oz candied orange peel 50g
- 1 cup milk 250 ml
- 1 packet Dr. Oetker baking powder
- 3 tablespoons rapeseed honey
- 4 tablespoons grated hazelnuts
- unsalted butter for cookie sheet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Beat the butter until fluffy. Add 4 tablespoons of honey and sugar and stir until smooth. Add eggs and combine well.
- Blend the flour with the cocoa powder, cinnamon, gingerbread spice and baking powder and combine with butter-egg mixture. Add the candied orange and lemon peel and combine thoroughly. Add the milk and mix until smooth.
- Evenly spread out the dough on the buttered cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.
- Brush the warm cake with rapeseed honey and sprinkle with grated hazelnuts. Let cool and cut into squares or strips.
