Gingerbread

INGREDIENTS

3/4 c. 

(1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 c. 

packed brown sugar

2/3 c. 

molasses

1 

large egg

1 tsp. 

pure vanilla extract

3 1/4 c. 

all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. 

ground ginger

1 tsp. 

baking soda

1 tsp. 

ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. 

ground cloves

1/2 tsp. 

kosher salt

1/4 tsp. 

ground nutmeg

Sugar Cookie Icing, for decorating

Sprinkles, for decorating

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, spices, baking soda, and salt until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until dough just comes together. (Do not overmix!)
3. Divide dough in half and create two discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 to 3 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one disc of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll until 1/4" thick. Cut out gingerbread men and transfer to baking sheets.
5. Bake until slightly puffed and set, 9 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie cutters. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. 
6.  Repeat with remaining disc of dough. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.

Lebkuchen

lebkuchen.

Adapted from Clara’s aunt

https://dpmdoes.com/2011/12/31/lebkuchen/

makes about 2 dozen cookies, at 2 1/2 inches in diameter  

50 grams candied orange peel, finely diced
50 grams candied lemon peel, finely diced
3 tbsp rum
100 grams ground hazelnuts
100 grams ground almonds (skins or no, to your liking)
7 grams lebkuchen spice
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
150 grams brown sugar
a pinch of salt
24 back-oblaten, 70mm in diameter (optional)

optional glazing 
200 grams chocolate (sweetness to your liking)
3 tablespoons of butter
or
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
cold water

1. Mix candied peel with rum, set aside to soak. Toss ground nuts with spices and baking powder and set aside.

3. Beat the eggs on high until pale and yellow, about four minutes. Add sugar and salt and beat another good while, five minutes or so. The more you whip the eggs, the better your cookies with turn out.

4. If the candied peel is too wet (though it likely won’t be) drain. Using a wooden spoon, fold the flour mixture and candied rum peels into the egg mixture.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place rounded spoonfuls of the mixture on the parchment paper, making sure each cookie is at least 2 cm tall and leaving 3 – 4 cm between them. Optional: if using back-oblaten, form cookies directly on wafers, making sure that each cookie is about 2cm tall. Again, as the cookies don’t spread in baking, cover the entire wafer. 

6. Allow the cookies to rest for one hour at room temperature.

*

7. Preheat the oven to 150 C / 302 F.

8. Bake cookies for about 15-18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are brown and firm to the touch, but not hard. You want the cookies to browned, but still moist inside. It’s better to air on the side of slight undercooking, than to overcook them. Remove them from the oven and cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

Optional glazing (allow cookies to cool completely, first!) 

For the chocolate: Chop chocolate into small pieces and melt over a double boiler. Remove from heat. Cut butter into small pieces,  add to chocolate, and stir until the butter has melted and the chocolate is glossy. Holding the cookie by the edges and using a knife, coat entire cookie (top and bottom) with a thin, even layer of chocolate. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When all cookies are done, set in  the fridge to harden.

For the icing: Mix confectioners sugar with cold water, starting with just 1 tablespoon and adding in small increments, until the icing is thin enough to spread but not runny. Spread over the top and bottom of each cookie, and smooth out using a knife. When all cookies are done, set in the fridge to harden.

Cookies will keep refrigerated up to two weeks. Store between layers of wax paper.