Recipe - Elise Lebkuchen

5 Eggs
1 pound Dark brown sugar
1 pound Grated unblanched almonds
One half cup Chopped citron
One half cup Chopped candied orange peel
One fourth teaspoon Each powdered cloves;
cardamon and nutmeg
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
Grated rind of 1 lemon
40 small Round bakers' rice wafers;
White Sugar Glaze or a
chocolate icing,

WHITE SUGAR GLAZE
1/3 cup Powder sugar; (confectioners
1 One half tablespoon Cornstarch
One half teaspoon Vanilla or almond extract
1 teaspoon Rum or brandy; (optional)
One half tablespoon Hot water or as needed; (up
to 11/4)

Story about recipe: The ancient Bavarian City, Nuremberg, famous for
Albrecht Durer adn haans Sachs, is even better know for the spicy cakes
called Lebkuchen, they may be cut into any size or shaperectangles,
fingers and rounds being the usual forms. "Leb" is derived from the latin
lium, a consecrated cake used in Roman religious ceremonies, hence they
are, in German, sacred cakes.

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow. Fold in almonds, fruit,
peel, spices, and lemon rind. Stir well. Spread in mounds onto wafers and
arrange on a lightly buttered baking sheet.. Let dry uncovered at room
temp., overnight. Bake in preheated 300 degree oven for 30 min. or until
deep golden brown. If you are using the glaze brush on at once; but cool
cookies completely before applying icing. Cut into rectangles when cool.
Makes about 3 doz.. cookies

NOTE: Bakers' Rice wafers: these thin white translucent wafers are used as
a base and topping for many cookies and candies. They may be purchased from
a bakers' supply house or a neighborhood bakery, if you order them in
advance. they usually come in sheets and you cut them to shapes you want.
They are also used as communion wafers in church services, and especially
decorative ones (Oplatekt) are given to Polish families by their priest to
be eaten at home on Christmas Eve, or Wigilia.

WHITE SUGAR GLAZE: Combine sugar, cornstarch, flavorings and rum or brandy.
Gradually stir in hot water, a Tablespoonful at a time, until you have a
smooth thick paste.Spread on warm cookies. If mixture cools and thickens as
you work, thin with additional hot water. sugar sprinkles are scattered on
the glaze before it hardens.

Posted to BakeryShoppe Digest V1 #439 by aklatt@trxinc.com (Arlene Klatt)
on Dec 5, 1997