Chocolate Lebkuchen

This recipe comes from Christmas, 1961. These bars have a light, tart frosting. This dough needs to ripen for a couple of days, but it's worth it.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 135 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¾ cup honey
• 2 ½ tablespoons orange juice
• ¼ cup cinnamon red hot candies
• ¼ cup green decorator sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• ½ cup candied mixed fruit, chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine sugar, honey and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, stir together the honey mixture with the chocolate chips, almonds, candied fruit, eggs, and orange juice. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, baking soda and baking powder; stir into the fruit and nut mixture. Tightly cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days to blend the flavors.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan. Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan.

Step 3

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool and frost with the orange frosting.

Step 4

To make the orange frosting, put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl, and beat in the orange juice 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Spread over the cooled bars. Cut bars into diamond shapes, and place cinnamon candies on top then sprinkle with the green sugar.