Spiced Honey Squares - German Christmas Cookies

These simplified German gingerbread squares are brushed with honey and decorated with ground walnuts. A great German Christmas cookie based on traditional Lebkuchen, adapted for the home baker.

Ingredients:

1-2/3 cups (200g) unsalted butter
1 cup (125g) sugar
4 tablspoons honey
4 large eggs
4-1/2 cups (500g) flour
2-1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons gingerbread spice (Lebkuchengewürz)
2 oz (50g) candied lemon peel
2 oz (50g) candied orange peel
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 package baking powder
3 tablespoons rapeseed honey
4 tablespoons grated hazelnuts
Unsalted butter for baking tray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Beat the butter until fluffy. Add 4tablespoons of honey and sugar and stir until smooth. Add eggs and combine well. Blend the flour with the cocoa powder, cinnamon, gingerbread spice and baking powder and combine with butter-egg mixture. Add the candied orange and lemon peel and combine thoroughly. Add the milk and mix until smooth.

Evenly spread out the dough on the buttered cookie sheet.

Bake at 350° for approximately 30 minutes.

Brush the warm cake with rapeseed honey and sprinkle with grated hazelnuts. Let cool down and cut into squares or strips.