Lebkuchen with a Touch of Orange
Lebkuchen is the German gingerbread that is the go-to recipe for Christmas baking. This is a perfect blend between biscuit and cake with a delicious mixture of honey, almond, ginger and cocoa – jazz this up with a touch orange zest or candied fruit.
Make 20 – 24 Lebkuchen
Ingredients:
- 160g clear honey
- 110g unsalted butter
- 50g ground almonds
- 260g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions:
- Melt the honey and butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir occasionally until combined. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 160°C/fan-assisted 140°C/gas mark 3.
- Line 2 large baking trays with silicone baking sheets or greaseproof paper.
- Place the ground almonds in a large bowl and sieve over the remaining ingredients. Pour over the cooled honey mixture and stir until it comes together to make a dough.
- Divide the dough and set one half aside. Roll the other half into small equal balls, place on a lined baking sheet and press each one down slightly with the palm of your hand to approx. 2cm thick.
- Roll out the remaining dough to 2cm thick, and, using a 4cm heart cutter, cut into biscuits. Soften the edges of the hearts with your fingers. Place on the other lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until just golden brown at the edges. Leave the Lebkuchen to cool for 5 minutes on the trays then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Pro tip: Lebkuchen really does improve with age, so bake a day before building your gingerbread house or Christmas cookies.