Dense, chewy lebkuchen is a great addition to your Christmas-cookie routine, but you can make it any time of year. While most lebkuchen contains ginger, this is a ginger-free version that uses other spices and molasses to achieve a similar flavor.
Instructions
1
Prep the oven and the pan
2
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
3
Combine most of the ingredients
4
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Next, beat in the molasses, buttermilk and anise extract. Then, in another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice, cardamom and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients, stirring them in well, then add the walnuts.
5
Add the fruit and bake
6
Put the raisins, dates, lemon peel, coconut, orange peel and pineapple in a food processor, and pulse until they're chopped and mixed. Stir them all into the batter, then press the batter into the pan. Bake the lebkuchen for 25 to 28 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Editor's Tip: The batter may seem stiff and dry when you press it into the pan.
7
Prepare the glaze
8
In a saucepan, bring the white sugar and water to a boil, and boil for one minute. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Spread the glaze over the warm lebkuchen, the place it on a wire rack and let it cool completely.
