Saturday, December 5, 2009

Lebkuchen

(Cross posted on Kosher Cuisine)

I've had readers ask for more recipes.
I've had other readers ask for more posts with German Jewish themes.
I've had different readers ask for more controversial posts (OK, you guys are out of luck this time...).
I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone with this recipe for lebkuchen, a traditional German spice cake with the consistency of a brownie.
Enjoy it this Chanukah courtesy of yours truly:


Lebkuchen

1 stick margarine
4 eggs
1 pound brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 package vanilla sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 package ground walnuts -- (7 ounces)

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
hot water -- if needed
Topping:
nonpareils

Mix together all ingredients. Pour into greased 9" x 13" pan.

Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or more until it looks like brownies.

Mix glaze ingredients and ice while hot! Sprinkle with nonpareils.






5 comments:

Melissa said...

I used to live in Germany and remember being able to buy fresh lebkuchen at strret vendors.

It was so delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

efrex said...

Looks yummy!

Of course you could have the "controversy" requirement fulfilled as well, at least in our home, by starting a debate on the informal name for "nonpareils" ("sprinkles" vs. "shots" vs. "jimmies" etc.)

G6 said...

efrex -

nonpareils used in this recipe are not the same as sprinkles and/or jimmies. The shape is different.

But thanks for trying to create controversy! I can always count on you ;)

Anonymous said...

for the record if you actually are in Germany, and your husband is working in the hospital all day so you have no one to ask which brand of ground hazelnuts is kosher, and you go to the store and buy whole, unroasted hazelnuts (since they require no heksher) and bring them home and grind them by hand in your mortar and pestle, but not exactly quite enough, and then you also add nutmeg because the amount of whole cloves you are able to grind (since you cannot find ground ones in the store) is negligible, and if the only brown sugar you can find is "raw sugar", and then you run out of time before Shabbos to ice them...THEN THEY TASTE REALLY REALLY GOOD in a very different sort of way. :-)

G6 said...

Oh Louisa -
It's times like this that I miss you so much!
Thanks for sharing :D