Recipe: Lebkuchen

Lebkuchen

60g (2 oz) butter
2/3 cup golden syrup
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cocoa
1 tablespoon milk
30g (1 oz) mixed peel
2 tablespoons plain flour, extra
raspberry jam
125g (4 oz) dark chocolate

Melt butter over low heat in medium-sized saucepan, add golden syrup, bring to boil, remove from heat; stand ten minutes. Add sifted dry ingredients, milk and finely chopped peel, stir with a wooden spoon until smooth, cover, stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours. Mixture will become thicker.

Turn the mixture onto surface which has been dusted with extra flour. Knead lightly, working in only enough of this flour until the mixture loses its stickiness.

Roll out to 8mm (about 1/2 in) thickness. Cut out with a heart shaped or any other cutter, about 5cm (2 in) diameter. Place on lightly greased oven trays.

Using the end of a wooden spoon, gently push indentation into centre of biscuit; don't push right through. Fill with about 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Bake in moderate oven 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Leave on trays until completely cold.

Melt chocolate in top of double saucepan over simmering water. Spoon on to saucer for easier handling. Dip bases of biscuits into chocolate; smooth excess chocolate off with a knife. Place jam-side down on foil lined trays, refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Makes about 40.