Servings: 75pieces of five centimeter (2 inches) diameter
Ingredients
470g2-1/3 cups sugar
4eggs
1teaspoonof vanilla sugar
400g14 ounces hazelnuts (one-half milled rough and the other fine)
80g3 ounces whole almonds, finely chopped
50g1.7 ounces roughly chopped walnuts
100g3.5 ounces of finely cut candied orange and lemon peel respectively
Freshly grated untreated orange and lemon peel
1teaspoonof finely chopped ginger root in syrup
1teaspoonof the following milled spices: cinnamoncloves, allspice, coriander, mace, cardamom, nutmeg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/baronesstapuzina/2145105476/" title="Oblaten Package by BaronessTapuzinaon Flickr">
2packets of oblaten wafers5 cm (2 inches diameter)
Punch Icing
130g1 cup icing sugar, sifted
2teaspoonof rum
2teaspoonsof red wine
Chocolate Icing
20g.7 ounces of bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70%; high quality)
For decoration:
A selection of nuts and candied fruit
Instructions
Use the egg whisk attachment of an electric beater to beat sugar, eggs and vanilla sugar so that the foamed mass has doubled and the sugar is dissolved.
Then add the nuts, candied and fresh orange and lemon peel, ginger and spices. Cover the batter and leave it in a cool place for 24 hours.
The next day form small, approx. 15 g (1 rounded tablespoon), balls from the mix with wet hands and place each on a wafer so that a 3 to 5 mm broad margin remains. Place the wafers on a baking paper lined baking tray and bake until light brown for 10 to 12 minutes at 200C (400F) in a preheated oven.
The Lebkuchen should be well risen but not quite finished inside because they have to further develop and remain soft inside. The finished Lebkuchen should be slid onto a drying rack to cool. Place one-third of the cookies to the side: they should remain natural, e.g. without icing.
For the punch icing:
Mix the sifted icing sugar and to a smooth consistency with rum and red wine. Then dip the upper surface of a further third of the Lebkuchen (not the wafer side) into this icing.
For the chocolate icing:
Melt and temper the chocolate, and then dip the upper surface of the remaining Lebkuchen. Leave the iced Lebkuchen on a drying rack to dry.
Decorate the lebkuchen with nuts and candied fruit while the icing or natural cookie is still soft.
Store the completed Lebkuchen in an airtight tin. Cover the cakes with greaseproof paper and lay a few apple peelings on top. This keeps them soft and moist. Try to let the cookies mature for about ten days before serving them.