Lebkuchen 1

Andrea and I tried lots of this during Christmas time, when we went to the Nuremburg Christmas market. Our favorite was from a vegan specialty shop. It’s really good too if you use a chocolate glaze.

ingredients

1 cup honey
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup finely chopped candied orange peel
1/4 cup finely chopped candied citron
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1 tablespoon allspice
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
32 whole blanched almonds, toasted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

directions

1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2
Heat honey and brown sugar over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture is thin. Let cool until only slightly warm and whisk in the egg.
3
Add raisins, chopped almonds, candied fruit, lemon peel, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and the allspice and mix well. Sift together flour, soda, and salt and stir into honey mixture 1/2 cup at a time until all ingredients are combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4
Divide dough in half and press evenly into two buttered 9-inch square pans. Brush surface with milk and bake for 30 minutes until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. While warm, score each pan into 16 bars, pressing a whole almond into the center of each.
5
Combine powdered sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and vanilla and brush evenly over bars. Let cool completely before cutting. Store in a tightly covered tin. Do not store in plastic bags.