My best recipe for Christmas cookies, up online by special request.
I originally got this recipe from "The Really Reliable New Zealand Cookbook" which had some very good bread recipes as well. My sister has it.
Lebkuchen.
50g butter
1 cup of honey
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3-4 cups plain flour
Put everything except the flour and baking soda into a medium saucepan, stirring over a low heat until it is all blended and the sugar is no longer grainy. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool.
Once it's cool you can add the baking soda and stirring the flour in. Start with one cup and then add a half cup at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition.
Eventually it will be firm enough to roll out. The more flour you add the harder the biscuits will be at the end, so try and tough it out through all four cups of flour. (I can't stand soft biscuits.)
At this point you can start rolling out the dough or just stick it in the fridge to wait for when you want biscuits. The dough lasts well in an airtight container or rolled up in glad wrap.
Roll it out 5mm thick and cut into shapes. They can go quite close to each other on the baking sheet because they don't rise much. Bake on 170 degrees Celsius for 10-20 minutes, until the edges go brown.
Cool them on a rack and decorate with icing if you are so inclined.
Enjoy.
PoF: Robot shirt
CO: Christmas is coming!