Lebkuchen

Mom's Lebkuchen

Christmas isn't Christmas without this baked treat.  This is mom's doubled recipe, which she kindly tweaked for me, to make it taste like the original recipe, but without the nuts or nutmeg (I'm allergic). I've taken this recipe on for the last several years, and tweaked it a bit myself, by doubling the spices for extra intense flavour, and "lemonizing" the icing part... 
the bulk of it is ALL MOM'S GENIUSNESS.

In a very large bowl, hand mix the following and let rest overnight:

5 cups flour

2  1/3 cups sugar

½ cup molasses

1 cup liquid honey

½ tsp ground anise

½ tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp ground cloves

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground mace

2 tsp grated lemon peel

4 eggs

1 cup (or a whole small container) of candied mixed citrus peel (in the baking section, top shelf)

Optional: 

1 cup raisins, 1 cup slivered almonds  (we prefer ours just plain)

Next morning, add:

1 cup flour

1 ½ tsp baking ammonia (or 10 grams)

(this can be bought in specialty stores, like Vincenzos or even Central)

Press dough into a cookie sheet (about 1 ½ cm thick) and bake @ 350 F for 15-20 minutes.  I like it lumpy, lol.  Do NOT overbake!   Ice when it’s just out of the oven, slightly cooled (and next batch is in the oven) with:   1 ½ cups icing sugar, 1 ½ tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp lemon extract, and enough hot water to get a nice spreadable consistency.   I like my glaze extra lemony, so I eyeball it and don't use any water, only lemon juice and extra extract. 

Enjoy!!!