Lebkuchen á lá Emelye

Here's a recipe that I developed after researching a number of German Lebkuchen recipes. While this is more like a little cake rather than a crispy cookie, it's flavor is delicate and subtle and meant more for an adult palate, especially if real rum is used in the glaze. Enjoy!


Lebkuchen á lá Emelye

• 150 g sugar (300 g if not using Splenda)
• 30 g Splenda (abt 3/4 cup)
  
• 1 Tbsn unsulphered Molasses
• 1 Tbsn Vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbspn Rum or equivalent amount of rum extract
• ½ tspn ground clove
• ½ tspn ground cinnamon
• ½ tspn ground ginger
• ½ tspn lemon zest
• Pinch of Cardamon
• 60 g candied lemon peel (chopped small, abt 3mm (1/8") chunks)
• 60 g candied orange peel (chopped small, abt 3mm (1/8") chunks)
• 275 g finely ground almonds
• 220 g flour
• 1½ tspn double acting baking powder

* Cream the eggs, sugar, molasses and vanilla until slightly frothy. Add the spices, zest and rum.
* Stir in the candied peel and ground almonds.
* Gradually sift in the baking powder and flour, mixing until the batter is thick and stiff. Allow the batter to rest ½ hour.
* Using two spoons drop mounds of dough about 2 inches (5 cm) to 3 inches (7½ cm) across onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
* Garnish with almonds, halved or slivered (doesn’t matter), if desired, and bake in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until brown at the edges. (Keep an eye on the first batch, all ovens are different!)

* Frost the cookies with a thin frosting made from powdered sugar and milk flavored with almond extract, lemon juice or rum.

NOTES:

> Makes about 2 ½ to 3 dozen depending on how big ya make ‘em.
> Very sticky batter
> They don’t spread much in the oven, rather, they rise into a dome shape
> 8 cookies per sheet works well

Oh, by the way, our esteemed Governor Paterson has announced today that he will sign an order making discrimination on the basis of gender identity/expression illegal when it is perpetrated against state executive's employees. After hijacking the Gender Expression Non Discrimination Act (GENDA) last April, in favor of same sex marriage legislation, Gov. Paterson has throw the gender variant community some crumbs. Big Deal! This order affects a microscopic portion of the state's trans citizens and for yours truly this is way too little and way too late as well as completely irrelevant.

Thanks again for nothing, Governor! When will the gender variant community in New York State get a REAL advocate in state government?