LEBKUCHEN (GERMAN XMAS HONEY CAKES)

Steps:

• 1. in a small pan Mix honey and molasses and bring to a boil. Once to a boil, take off heat and cool thoroughly.
• 2. Once cooled, stir in brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix well.
• 3. sift together and stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg mixing well.
• 4. Mix in chopped nuts and if you want to add the cut up citron do this now. I prefer not to use the citron.
• 5. Form dough into a ball, wrap well with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• 6. You are going to work the dough a little at a time as you want to keep remainder chilled while you are working a portion. lightly flour your surface and using a small amount about baseball size (be sure to put rest of your dough back in fridge), roll out 1/4 inch thick and cut into oblong 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch pieces.
• 7. Bakers Tip... While cookies bake make your glazing icing
• 8. Place 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until when touched lightly, no imprint remains.
• 9. While cookies are baking you will want to make your glazing icing. Boil together sugar and water to 230 degees. The liquid should look almost like a thread when drizzled. Remove from heat. Stir in confectioners sugar. (when icing gets sugary, reheat slightly, adding a little water until clear again.)
• 10. Brush hot icing thinly over cookies the minute they are out of the oven. Then quickly remove from baking sheet. Cool and store to mellow
• 11. Bakers Tip: How to "Mellow" cookies... store in air tight container for a few days. Add a few apple slices, changing it 2x a day to insure freshness