Lebkuchen Hearts
These brightly decorated hearts are a German staple. They are meant to be hung around the neck of your sweetheart - the bigger the heart, the bigger the love, or so the story goes.
YIELDS
10
TO
12
Ingredients
Lebkuchen Spice Mix
- 5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground anise
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cookies
- 1/2 cup runny honey
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup rye flour
- 2/3 cup ground almonds
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 teaspoon Lebkuchen spice
- 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 oz candies mixed peel (optional)
- Zest 1/2 lemon
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 egg white, lightly whisked
- Blanched almond halves (optional)
- Glace cherry halves (optional)
Directions
Lebkuchen Spice Mix
- Combine all the ingredients and whisk to combine thoroughly. Transfer to an airtight storage jar and store for up to a year.
Cookies
- Combine the honey, brown sugar, and butter in a small pan and heat over low heat until melted. Stir occasionally until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and set aside until needed.
- Place the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Pour over the melted honey mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to form a sticky dough. Cover with a clean dishcloth and set aside for an hour. By this time, the dough should become more workable.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F—line two baking/ cookie trays with baking parchment.
- Lightly flour a counter-surface and roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, punch out hearts and place them on your prepared baking sheets, spacing three-quarter inch apart. Re-roll any dough scraps to form additional cookies and repeat.
- Brush the top of each cookie with the whisked egg white and place an almond or cherry half in the centre of each cookie.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and firm. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
- Cookies can be kept in an airtight container for a month or more. They will soften over time. Enjoy!
