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Christmas Recipes
Leckerli
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup acacia honey
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
Scant 2/3 cup finely diced candied lemon and orange rind
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (4 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup kirsch (unsweetened cherry liquor)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons water
PREPARATION
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the honey with the granulated
sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cloves
and white pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally,
until the honey and sugar are melted, about 3 minutes. Remove
the pan from the heat and add the candied citrus rind, 1 cup
plus 2 tablespoons of the almonds and 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
of the kirsch. Sift the 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour and
the baking soda over the mixture and stir to incorporate. Line
a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Scrape the dough onto the
plastic and flatten into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until
firm, about 2 hours.
2. Liberally flour a work surface. Roll
out the dough to a 12-inch square about 3/8 inch thick. Line
a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and slide the dough
onto it. Prick all over with a fork. Scatter the remaining 1/4
cup of almonds on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small
bowl, mix the confectioners' sugar with the water and the remaining
2 teaspoons of kirsch. Bake the cookie square for 14 minutes,
or until golden. Immediately brush the glaze on top. Slide the
parchment onto a rack and let the cookie cool completely. On
a work surface, using a large, sharp knife, trim the edges of
the square, then cut it into four 3-inch-wide strips. Cut each
strip into 3/4-inch bars.
