Emelye's Kitchen: Lebkuchen á lá Heléne

This is a recipe that I've developed over the past few years. I make it at Christmas time, usually. The spices and candied peel give the cookies an exotic flair while the rum in the glaze makes it a cookie more for adults than kids. You can leave it out if you wish.

Lebkuchen á lá Heléne

150 g sugar (300g if not using SPLENDA)
30 g Splenda
150 g unsalted Butter, softened
1 Tbn unsulphered Molasses
1 Tbn Vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbn Rum or equivalent amount of rum extract
½ tsn ground clove
½ tsn ground cinnamon
½ tsn ground ginger
1 tsn lemon extract or lemon zest
Pinch to 1/4 tsn of Cardamom
60 g candied lemon peel (chopped small, abt 3mm chunks)
60 g candied orange peel (chopped small, abt 3mm chunks)
275 g finely ground almonds or almond flour
300 g flour
½ tsn Salt
1½ tsn double acting baking powder

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together . Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, molasses and vanilla until slightly frothy. Add the spices, lemon extract (or zest) and rum.

Stir in the candied peel and ground almonds.

Gradually sift in the baking powder and flour, mixing until the dough is thick and fairly stiff. Add more flour if the texture is too batter like. Allow the dough to chill at least 1 hour.

Form into balls about 1 inch (25mm) diameter. (A 60 disher, 2 tsn, works well)

Garnish with halved or slivered almonds and bake in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven for about 12 to 15 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 extract or rum. (Suggested: 1 Tbn Rum, 1 Tbn Milk, 1 tsn almond extract, ½ cup icing sugar)

NOTES:

Makes about 3 to 4 dozen depending on how big ya make ‘em.

They don’t spread much in the oven.

20 cookies per sheet works well

I hope you enjoy these as much as I and my family have!