Ms

[Lesley]

Small spice and honey cake/biscuits - ideal for wrapping as gifts or adding to hampers.

Makes 70 - enough for 4 or 5 bags.

 

Lebkuchen

 

250g plain flour

1tsp baking powder

half tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g ground almonds

2tsp ground ginger

2tsp ground cinnamon

a quarter tsp each of ground cloves and nutmeg

a pinch of salt

200ml clear honey (I will try using half honey and half dark treacle next time)

85g butter

zest of 1 lemon

 

Icing

100g icing sugar - seived

half an egg white

2 tsp lemon juice

 

Heat oven to 180C

 

Heat the honey/treacle and butter in a large pan until the butter melts.

 

Add all the dry ingredients and lemon zest and mix well.

 

Leave to cool slightly and then roll dough into small balls, slightly larger than Maltesers.

 

Place on baking trays lined with parchment, leaving room for the biscuits to expand.

 

Cook one tray at a time for 11-14 minutes - cool on a wire rack.

 

Mix the icing sugar, lemon juice and some of the egg white to make a spreadable icing - add more of the egg white as needed.

 

Dip the top of each biscuit in the icing and spread it over with a knife or a clean finger.

 

Leave to dry in a warm room.

 

I used what was left of the icing and put it in a small piping bag and piped lines across.

 

Once dry, pack into cellophane bags and tie tightly.

 

I'm not sure yet how long they keep as I hadn't made them before - I will look through a few recipes and find out.

 

 

[Redwing]

They sound lovely

 

I have all of those ingredients in my cupboard! (a few months ago I would have had none of that and a pack of Mr Kiplings )

[Cinnamon]

Yum, yum & double yum!

 

I made the Hairy Bakers christmas cookie things last week & didn't like them at all

These sound much nicer though,so I will give them a bash I think

[bluekarin]

Thank you for that Lesley. I tried to buy some in Sainsburys yesterday as we have them every year for Christmas and they had none!

So another thing to add to my baking list tomorrow to give for Christmas

 

Macaroons

Florentines

Lebkuchen

Mince pies (not to give, just to eat nom nom nom)

 

busy busy busy . . . .

[Lesley]

I forgot to say that they are really quick and easy to make - a good job with a list like that to make tomorrow Bluekarin

[Chook n Boo Mum]

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

 

Yet another thing to add to my to do list, I have most of those goodies & will substitute the nutmeg & cloves for mixed spice as I haven't any! DS loves real German Lebkuchen, hope these are as good!

 

A batch of RC Orange sticks is bubbling away as I type, if I'm quick I could get a batch in before my lot start braying for their croissants!!......Who needs a clean house anyway?! Where's the glitter spray, I'm sure those cobwebs would look beautiful with a squirt or two!!

 

Sha x

[Lesley]

I've never tried real ones - just the usual supermarket ones - would you let me know his opinion?

 

I just read a few recipes and picked the one with the ingredients I most liked

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Lesley, just re-read the ingredients, how do you measure half a fresh egg white?! I tend to get all or ***-all !! Will choose Bluebell's smallest one available I think

 

Sha x

[Lesley]

I must admit that I had three egg whites in a bowl - and I just scooped up the runnier bits

 

The photo from the recipe I used just had a thin icing and had used the whole egg white - I wanted a thicker icing that wasn't translucent.

 

This is the photo from the site.....

 

from this site..... http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1941/lebkuchen

[Snowy]

These look good Lesley - may give them a try. Do you whisk the egg white or beat a bit or just use it as is?

[Lesley]

I just mixed it in with the lemon juice - like a thick glace icing.

 

I'm just going to make some more - using dark treacle in it. I think that the dough should roll out as well and I'll make some stars.

 

I might try to recreate those that have some strawberry (raspberry?) jam in the middle and are covered in melted chocolate...........I may be gone some time.......

[bluekarin]

I just mixed it in with the lemon juice - like a thick glace icing.

 

I'm just going to make some more - using dark treacle in it. I think that the dough should roll out as well and I'll make some stars.

 

I might try to recreate those that have some strawberry (raspberry?) jam in the middle and are covered in melted chocolate...........I may be gone some time.......

 

I've had ones with apricot jam in and plum jam. They are so yummy!

 

I've just made the biscuits, and they didn't rise at all and are still a Malteaser shape Any suggestions where I went wrong? I've just popped some more in but made them larger, so fingers crossed

[Lesley]

erm...you did add the Bi-carb and the Baking Powder? - can't think of any other reason They increase by about half as much again in size and should be light and puffy. They are cooked when touching with a finger tip doesn't leave an impression.

 

I added slightly too much bi-carb to my second lot - I can taste it slightly

 

I made the recipe but using half treacle and half honey - I like it better. I made some with a small amount of raspberry jelly in the middle but it wasn't worth the faff really. I rolled some out between two sheets of baking parchment and cut tiny stars out of it, it worked quite well. I'm going to ice the stars and dip the others in chocolate.

[The Dogmother]

I can vouch that they are lovely (thanks Lesley)

[Snowy]

Just finished icing my first batch of these - they are yummy!

[Lesley]

Glad you liked them Clare!

[Snowy]

Mine are going down rather fast

[Lesley]

I hope that is because you liked them as well Snowy?

 

I was worried about posting a recipe i hadn't tried but thought they would be good for last minute presents.

 

I need to make some more today

[Snowy]

Yes definitely! I might have to try another one now they are properly dry I think I made my icing a bit too runny as mine just have a lemony glaze Very nice though!

[Lesley]

I have some in a bag and I have to taste test them every day so that I know how long they last

[Looney]

Waaaaaah!

 

I've got all the ingredients ready to go to make these (and gingerbread) and I just can't find the time! I've been wanting to make them for the last two days

 

Maybe after Christmas......

[Cinnamon]

Mine are in the oven & smelling wonderful

 

They are a cery rewarding thing to make & the dough is nice to handle too - thanks Lesley

[Lesley]

Thanks Sarah - they've been a big hit here as well -we've all had to test them - frequently

 

Lorna - they really don't take long to make - and they are nice even without the icing.

[Cinnamon]

Mine now have yummy lemony icing & a festive sprinkle of gold edible glitter.

They look truly wonderful,if a tad bling

 

I still can't pronounce them tough, & they are known as Lesleys biscuits

[The Dogmother]

Sparkly sounds pretty Sarah - any pictures?