cateory: cuisine
Baseler leckerli
Reviews: 198
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup slivered unblanched almonds
- 1/2 cup candied orange peel, chopped
- Grated zest of 1/2 lemon Simple glaze.
How to make
Baseler leckerli
Baseler leckerli
- This is adapted from a recipe Otto Eckstein, executive pastry chef at the Pan Pacific Hotel, learned nearly 50 years ago from a Swiss baker.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or liberally grease them.
- Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and baking soda.
- Combine the honey, sugar and water in a small saucepan.
- Place over low heat until the honey just melts. Do not let boil. (Or, combine the honey, sugar and water in a microwave-safe, large bowl, and microwave on medium for 1 minute, until the honey just melts.)
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let cool slightly.
- Add the sifted flour mixture, the almonds, orange peel and lemon zest. Blend until the mixture comes together in a heavy, sticky dough, adding a spoonful or two of water if needed. (The mixing can be done by hand, but it's labor intensive.)
- Resist the urge to add more water to make the dough easier to handle; it would impair the texture of the finished cookies.
- Spread the dough about 1/2 to 1 inch thick on the baking sheets, forming 3 rectangles, each about 8 x 9 inches.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tops turn a medium brown.
- While the leckerli are baking, make the simple glaze. When the dough rectangles have baked, remove pans to a rack and immediately brush the tops with glaze. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 1 x 3-inch bars or into diamond shapes.
- Transfer to racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers, placing wax paper between layers. Let age at least 1 week, preferably longer.
- No need to freeze these cookies - properly stored, they keep well throughout the holidays. Yields 5 to 6 dozen cookies.
Comments for
Baseler leckerli
Baseler leckerli
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