Leeb the Kuchen to Us
Dec. 18th, 2008 09:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sciwitchAnother recipe from the Cook's Illustrated Holiday Baking Issue was for Lebkuchen, a German spice-nut cookie that I've tried a few variations on. This is a dense, spice-heavy cookie that may not be for all tastes, but certainly brings a touch of the old world to any holiday cookie platter.
Lebkuchen
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups (6.25 ounces) unblanched hazelnuts, toasted and cooled
1 cup (5 ounces) unblanched whole almonds, toasted and cooled
3/4 cup (5 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons grated zest from 2 oranges
2 tablespoons grated zest from 2 lemons
1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed (5.25 ounces) light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
1 3/4 cups (7 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
Preparation
1. FOR THE COOKIES: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Process toasted nuts, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg together in food processor to fine meal, 30 to 60 seconds. Add orange and lemon zests and continue to process until combined, about 15 seconds.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt together in small bowl. In stand mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium speed
until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time and add vanilla until combined, scraping down bowl and beater as needed.
3. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in ground nut mixture until just incorporated (bowl will be very full).
4. Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll dough into balls and lay them on prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until edges are set and beginning to brown but centers are still soft and puffy with tiny cracks, 13 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. (Cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone.)
5. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough using cooled, freshly lined baking sheets.
6. FOR THE GLAZE: When cookies are cool, whisk confectioners' sugar and milk together in medium bowl until smooth. Using pastry brush, brush thin layer of glaze over tops of cookies and let sit until glaze has set, about 10 minutes, before serving.
Lebkuchen
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups (6.25 ounces) unblanched hazelnuts, toasted and cooled
1 cup (5 ounces) unblanched whole almonds, toasted and cooled
3/4 cup (5 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons grated zest from 2 oranges
2 tablespoons grated zest from 2 lemons
1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed (5.25 ounces) light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
1 3/4 cups (7 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
Preparation
1. FOR THE COOKIES: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Process toasted nuts, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg together in food processor to fine meal, 30 to 60 seconds. Add orange and lemon zests and continue to process until combined, about 15 seconds.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt together in small bowl. In stand mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium speed
until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time and add vanilla until combined, scraping down bowl and beater as needed.
3. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in ground nut mixture until just incorporated (bowl will be very full).
4. Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll dough into balls and lay them on prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until edges are set and beginning to brown but centers are still soft and puffy with tiny cracks, 13 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. (Cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone.)
5. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough using cooled, freshly lined baking sheets.
6. FOR THE GLAZE: When cookies are cool, whisk confectioners' sugar and milk together in medium bowl until smooth. Using pastry brush, brush thin layer of glaze over tops of cookies and let sit until glaze has set, about 10 minutes, before serving.