Classic Gingerbread (Lebkuchen)

Spiced and nutty in flavor, these traditional German Christmas cookies resemble soft gingerbread. Enjoy them at home or give as a gift—either way they fill your home with delightful aromas while baking. Taste these and many other holiday treats on one of our late fall or winter cruises along the Rhine or Danube.

Ingredients:
Cookies:
One-half cup honey
One-half cup molasses
Three-quarters cup brown sugar (packed)
One egg
One tablespoon lemon juice
One teaspoon lemon zest
Two and three-quarters cup flour
One-half teaspoon baking soda
One teaspoon ground cinnamon
One teaspoon ground cloves
One teaspoon ground allspice
One teaspoon ground nutmeg
One-third cup candied citron (diced)
One-third cup hazelnuts (chopped)

Icing:
One cup sugar
One-half cup water or milk
One-quarter teaspoon vanilla extract
One-quarter cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Cookies:
Combine honey and molasses in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and all spices. Add the molasses mixture and mix well. Stir in citron and hazelnuts. Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. On a floured surface, roll out a small amount of the chilled dough to one-quarter-inch thickness. If dough is sticky, use more flour when rolling. Using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut round cookies out and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Place baked cookies on a cooling rack and brush icing while still hot. You can decorate with slivers of nuts or candied citron or other dried fruit. Or if you prefer, you can drizzle with melted chocolate. Store in a sealed container with a wedge of apple or orange to retain moistness.

Icing:
Heat sugar and water or milk with vanilla in a small saucepan, but do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar. If icing becomes crystallized, reheat and add water or milk as needed.

Makes 8--10 servings.

Find this recipe and more on our website: http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/recipes/lebkuchen.aspx

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