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In the Oven: Lebkuchen

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We’re sticking with the 12 days of cookies for our last two recipes in Baked Occasions, first with a bit of a preview of the holidays, with a German gingerbread spiced cookie. Posting date is August 27.

And starting on September 24, we’re going to begin baking from the very first Baked book. For those of you that like to bake ahead, we have a sneak peek of the schedule up here.

Let’s bake!

Lebkuchen
Author: Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
Serves: 24 cookies
Ingredients
  • For the Lebkuchengewürz (Gingerbread Spices)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • For the Lebkuchen
  • 8 ounces (225 g) honey (about 2⁄3 cup)
  • 3 ounces (3⁄4 stick/85 g) unsalted butter
  • 1⁄4 cup (55 g) rmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons Lebkuchengewürz (see above)
  • Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 tablespoons rum
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda 21⁄4 cups (285 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 ounces (115 g) almonds, finely ground
  • 3⁄4 cup (140 g) finely chopped candied orange peel
  • For the Chocolate Glaze
  • 1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Lebkuchengewürz
  1. In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Set aside.
Make the Lebkuchen
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, stir together the honey, butter, and brown sugar, and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Let cool.
  3. In the bowl of a standing mixer tted with the whisk attachment, add the cooled honey mixture and mix briefly. Add the egg yolk, cocoa powder, Lebkuchengewürz, and lemon zest, and mix at medium speed until fully combined.
  4. In a small prep bowl, stir together the rum and baking soda. Add to the batter and whisk to combine, about another 15 seconds.
  5. Replace the whisk attachment with the dough-hook attachment.
  6. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the almonds and candied orange peel. Add the flour mixture all at once to the mixer bowl, and stir on the lowest speed until just combined. Turn onto a well-floured surface.
  7. Use your hands to knead the dough until it is pliable, then form it into a small disk; the dough will be very tacky. Roll the dough into a round 1⁄2 inch (12 mm) thick, flipping it and sprinkling more flour as needed so it doesn’t stick. Use a 3-inch (7.5-cm) round (or thereabouts) cookie cutter to press out your cookies; place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
  8. Bake until the cookies appear set and are just dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely
Make the Chocolate Glaze
  1. Line the two baking sheets with new parchment paper.
  2. Sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa into a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons milk and the vanilla and whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too stiff, add additional milk a teaspoon at a time to loosen.
  3. Working quickly, dip each cooled cookie face down into the glaze. Turn the cookies over and place them on the parchment. Allow to set completely, about 15 minutes.
Notes
[i]How to store: [/i]The cookies can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

Comments

  1. What’s everyone doing for candied orange peel in these? Nothing available locally that I’ve found…. and I’m too lazy to make my own unless I have to. :)

    • I had some that I schlepped from NYC in June, but I didn’t have the heart to use it all up on a non-Italian recipe, so I used half the amount that is called for in the recipe, and that was plenty. I’ve found it reliably at Bi-Rite, and Draeger’s should have it, but it’s the prepackaged kind with high fructose corn syrup…

  2. Dafna – yeah, I have the same reservation about using the HFCS one. I may try Draeger’s. But otherwise, I have a couple of oranges, and will likely just use plain ol’ zest and maybe some orange flavoring. Thanks!

    • I’m sure that would work fine in a pinch. I was concerned that cutting the amount of orange in half might affect the texture of the cookies, but there didn’t seem to be any adverse effect. Good luck!