Lebkuchen with Candied Fruit and Almond Toppings

Preparation Notes

Cooking time includes resting and setting.

Ingredients

For the lebkuchen

• ¾ tsp fennel seeds ground
• 4 allspice berries ground
• Seeds from 5 cardamom pods, ground (pods discarded)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 125g ground almonds
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g plain flour plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 75g runny honey
• 125g light soft brown sugar or light muscovado sugar
• 1 large orange zest only
• Sheets of edible rice paper cut into 12 circles 5cm in diameter

To decorate

• 125g icing sugar
• 1-3 tbsp orange juice
• 200g milk or dark chocolate finely chopped
• A selection of mixed crystallised fruit (e.g. candied peel, angelica, glacée cherries)
• 25g blanched almonds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.
2. To make the dough: In a bowl, add the ground spices, ground almonds, bicarbonate of soda, flour and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, use a hand or electric whisk to mix the eggs, honey, sugar and orange zest for about 2 minutes. Sieve the flour mixture into the egg mixture and fold together with a spoon or spatula, until it is just combined into a dough. Cover the dough with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
4. To prepare the biscuits for the oven: Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment. Place the 12 rice paper circles onto it, leaving 3cms of space between each one. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Press one ball down into the middle of each rice paper disc, making sure that the dough covers all the paper. Keep the biscuits 3cm apart as they will expand during baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool on the tray.
5. To decorate the biscuits: Place the icing sugar in a small bowl. Slowly mix in a little of the orange juice, adding gradually, until it becomes fairly runny, but still thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. In another bowl, gently melt the chocolate, either in a Pyrex or ceramic bowl over a pan with a little simmering water in it, or in 30 second bursts in the microwave. The amount of time needed will vary depending on the wattage of the microwave. Once melted, stir until smooth.
7. Put the biscuits, rice paper side down, on a wire cooling rack. Spoon 1-2 tbsp of the icing or melted chocolate onto each biscuit, spreading gently to the edges with the back of the spoon. Add some crystallised fruit and almonds to the tops to decorate.
8. Leave the decorated biscuits to set on the cooling rack for 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.