Lebkuchen is a traditional German baked treat, especially popular around Christamas time. It’s similar in taste to Gingerbread, but softer and stickier than you may expect.

Brilliant served as an after-dinner treat, or with Coffee as a little snack during the day.

To make 60
3 Eggs
200g Golden Caster Sugar
55g Plain Flour
2tsp Cocoa Powder
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2tsp Ground Cardamom
1/4tsp Ground Cloves
1/4tsp Ground Nutmeg
175g Ground Almonds
55g Chopped Mixed Peel, finely chopped
115g Plain Chocolate
115g White Chocolate
Sugar Crystals

1. Heat the oven to 180C, and line several baking trays with some baking paper.
2. Pug the Eggs and Caster Sugar into a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the mixture until it’s thick and foamy, then remove from over the saucepan and carry on whisking for two more minutes.
3. Sift the Flour, Cocoa Powder, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves and Nutmeg into a large bowl, before stirring in the Ground Almonds and Mixed Peel.
4. Mix into the Egg and Sugar mixture, then drop heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto the baking trays, shaping into smooth mounds.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for fifteen to twenty minutes, until light brown and slightly soft still when touched. Cool on baking trays for ten minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
6. Put the Plain Chocolate and White Chocolate into two separate bowls, then set over pans of simmering water, allowing it to gently melt. Dip half of the Lebkuchen balls into the White Chocolate, then the other into the Milk Chocolate. Sprinkle with the Sugar Crystals, and leave to set.

Photo Courtesy of: _rockinfree