Are you craving a delectable treat that combines the flavors of honey, spices, and a touch of warmth? Look no further than the Swiss honey cake known as Lebkuchen. Originating from the heart of Switzerland, this scrumptious cake is a delightful blend of traditional baking techniques and unique ingredients. With its moist texture, aromatic spices, and a generous coating of honey glaze, Lebkuchen is a culinary masterpiece that will tantalize your taste buds and transport you to a realm of pure indulgence. In this article, we will embark on a culinary journey to discover the best recipe for this delectable Swiss honey cake, ensuring that you can recreate this heavenly treat in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
SWISS HONEY CAKE (LEBKUCHEN)
from "The Swiss Cookbook". I haven't made it yet. To reduce dryness, try lowering the heat to 325 and test for doneness before removing. (Alternatively, this may be due to too much flour. Other honey cake recipes look like they use about 3.5 cups.)
Provided by Debbie R.
Categories Bar Cookie
Time 1h
Yield 1 batc h
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Blend honey with the coffee, cream, kirsch, sugar and spices.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder and soda; add it to the first mixture. Beat until smooth. The dough should be sticky.
- Put into a well-buttered 15x10 baking pan, spreading evenly to the corners. It should be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Cut into bars.
LEBKUCHEN VI
I brought this recipe over from Germany almost 20 years ago. It has molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, honey and brown sugar in it. This is one of my favorite memories of Germany at Christmastime.
Provided by Debi
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 10h
Yield 72
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the honey and molasses. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Add the molasses mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the citron and hazelnuts. Cover dough and chill overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into small rectangles and place them 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until no imprint remains when touched lightly. Brush the icing over the cookies while they are still hot and quickly remove them to wire cooling racks. Store in airtight container with a cup of orange or apple for a few days to mellow.
- To make the icing: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar. If icing becomes sugary while brushing cookies, re-heat slightly- adding a little water until crystals dissolve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 60.6 calories, Carbohydrate 13.8 g, Cholesterol 2.6 mg, Fat 0.5 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 0.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 14.7 mg, Sugar 8.7 g
LEBKUCHEN (GERMAN HONEY BARS)
Lebkuchen recipes are many and diverse-some are flourless, made with almond and hazelnut meal; some are made in bar form and others in cookie form; some are glazed with chocolate and others with a thin lemon glaze. We like to age the dough for up to two months before baking to allow the flavors to develop (the sugar and honey keep the egg from spoiling). After baking, these resilient cookies can be stored in an airtight container for at least a month more.
Provided by Megan Scott
Categories Cookies Christmas cookbooks Dessert Fall Winter Honey Almond Lemon Lemon Juice Cinnamon Clove Cardamom Anise Nutmeg Spice
Yield Makes 36 (2 1/4 x 1 1/2-inch) bars
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- Honey bars:
- Heat honey and water in a large heavy saucepan until runny. Remove from heat, and stir in butter until melted. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in brown sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the honey mixture and stir just until combined. Add almonds, citron, and candied orange peel. Stir until the dough is smooth. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 1 month.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper so it extends over the 2 long sides.
- Firmly press the dough into the prepared pan to form a smooth, even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 30 minutes.
- Citrus glaze and decoration:
- In a medium bowl, beat together powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. While the lebkuchen is still warm, spread glaze evenly over the top.
- Mark into bars by cutting into the lebkuchen about ¼ inch deep with a knife. Decorate, if desired, by placing 1 candied cherry in the center of each bar. And arrange 4 blanched almonds around each cherry.
- Let stand in the pan on a rack until completely cool and the icing is set. Using the overhanging parchment as handles, transfer to a cutting board. Cut into bars. If possible, let the cookies age for at least 2 weeks to allow the spices to ripen. Lebkuchen will keep for months in an airtight container.
GERMAN LEBKUCHEN
A German honey Christmas cookie made with molasses.
Provided by HILARY2000
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 8h20m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large bowl, beat the egg, brown sugar and honey until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice; stir into the molasses mixture. Stir in the almonds and candied fruit peel. Cover or wrap dough, and chill overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into 2x3 inch rectangles. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. While still warm, brush the cookies with the lemon glaze.
- To make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the egg white, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Brush over cookies.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 119.9 calories, Carbohydrate 26.6 g, Cholesterol 5.2 mg, Fat 1.1 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 1.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 24.1 mg, Sugar 14.6 g
GERMAN LEBKUCHEN CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Steps:
- For syrup:
- Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges in strips. Mince enough peel to measure 4 tablespoons. Mix honey, orange juice and 2 tablespoons orange peel (reserve remaining 2 tablespoons peel for cake) in heavy medium saucepan. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Set honey syrup aside.
- For cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch square baking pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with waxed paper. Butter paper. Dust pan with flour. Using electric mixer, beat first 8 ingredients in large bowl until fluffy. Mix in reserved 2 tablespoons minced orange peel. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into medium bowl. Mix half and half and lemon juice in small bowl. Beat dry ingredients alternately with half and half mixture into butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix in currants. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Cake will not rise to top of pan.) Cool cake 20 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen. Turn cake out onto rack; cool. Peel off paper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover syrup and cake separately and let stand at room temperature.)
- For frosting:
- Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Cool to barely luke warm. Using electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until light. Add chocolate and 1/4 cup honey syrup and beat until smooth and light. Chill until thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
- Cut cake horizontally in half. Place bottom layer cut side up on platter. Brush with 1/4 cup honey syrup. Spread 1 1/4 cups frosting over. Brush remaining 1/4 cup syrup over cut side of top cake layer. Place cake cut side down atop filled layer. Set aside 2/3 cup frosting for garnish. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Press almonds around sides. Spoon remaining 2/3 cup frosting into pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe frosting decoratively around top edge of cake. Chill cake until frosting sets, about 1 hour. Garnish with orange slices. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.)
Tips:
- Mise en place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all of your ingredients and equipment ready to go. This will help you stay organized and avoid any scrambling.
- Measure your ingredients accurately: Baking is a precise science, so it's important to measure your ingredients accurately. Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, if possible, as this is the most accurate way to measure.
- Don't overmix your batter: Overmixing the batter can make your cake tough and dense. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake your cake at the right temperature: The oven temperature is critical for baking a perfect cake. Make sure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature before you put your cake in the oven.
- Don't open the oven door during baking: Opening the oven door during baking can cause the cake to fall. Resist the temptation to peek at your cake until it's done baking.
- Let your cake cool completely before frosting it: Frosting a warm cake can cause the frosting to melt and slide off. Let your cake cool completely before frosting it.
Conclusion:
Swiss honey cake is a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for any occasion. With its moist and flavorful cake layers and rich, creamy frosting, this cake is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. If you follow the tips in this article, you'll be able to bake a perfect Swiss honey cake every time.
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