Lebkuchen

I distinctly remember Bethany loving Lebkuchen when she was 4 years old, it was the first year and the last year she had Lebkuchen at Christmas time. I LOVE Lebkuchen and am saddened to say that 3 years after her diagnosis, I started to indulge again with hidden packets of the biscuits in far-to-reach cupboards, behind the jars of pickled gherkins! (Bethany’s version of Kryptonite).

With every guilty bite I promised myself Bethany would once again taste Lebkuchen at Christmas … now she has and can! They say third time’s a charm, and it took three attempts to get this just right but I’m pleased as punch with the results, it’s never failed me since and even better, you can make this well in advance as they actually get better with age…finally! a gluten free biscuit that doesn’t have to be eaten within minutes of coming out of the oven to taste any good!

5 from 1 vote

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Lebkuchen

A delicious spicy biscuit traditionally eaten in the wintertime and Christmas period, this delicious biscuit/cake comes from Germany originally.

Ingredients

• 100 g caster sugar
• 400 g plain flour
• 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp clove
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp  nutmeg
• 60 g softened butter
• 1 egg
• 115 g treacle
• 1 tbsp honey
• 150 ml milk
• 100 g glace ginger

To decorate

• 150 g icing sugar
• 1 egg white
• 300 g dark chocolate

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar until light.
2. In a jug add the milk, egg, honey and treacle and whisk until combined.
3. Pour into the butter mixture and mix, start to add the dry ingredients, once all ingredients have been added the mixture should be a thick dropping consistency.
4. Add walnut size drops to a prepared baking sheet, these will spread to approx 2.5/3inches.
5. Bake in an oven on 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 10 minutes - they will turn a dark brown.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before decorating.
7. To decorate I add a dollop of dark chocolate to the bottom of each biscuit and place on the reverse of a textured plastic chopping sheet, this creates a professional look to the underside of your biscuit ... it's sometimes the little attention to detail that impresses to most!
8. To make the icing mix 150g icing sugar with the white of 1 egg and brush over the top, pop in the fridge for the chocolate to harden and the icing top to crust.