GERMAN ELISENLEBKUCHEN RECIPE
“Lebkuchen” are like the German version of gingerbread and a very popular treat during Christmas time. There are many different types, spiced with different exotic spice blends. Some are more like cookies, some have a cake-like consistency depending on the nut to flour ratio.
“Elisenlebkuchen” are soft and chewy, filled with all the goodness of nuts, candied citrus and warm spices. They contain low to zero flour, and are baked on thin, flavourless, edible wafer paper called “Oblaten” (originally communion wafers used by monks in the 13thcentury in Germany).
“Lebkuchen” are usually the biggest “Plätzchen”- German Christmas cookies besides the usually rather small and delicate ones and can be glazed with an opaque sugar glaze or Chocolate and can be decorated with nuts and almonds.
These “Elisenlebkuchen” covered in dark chocolate are definitely one of my favourite ones and something I really look forward to every year!
TIPS TO MAKE THE PERFECT GERMAN LEBKUCHEN
Use a kitchen scale if you can, to weigh your ingredients rather than measuring them in cups. This will ensure accurate ingredients and will result in a great end product.
For best consistency whip the eggs and sugar until they’re thick and super fluffy.
Finely dice the candied lemon and orange peel with a sharp knife to avoid big chewy pieces in your “Lebkuchen”.
You can find “Oblaten”/ round wafer paper under “Backoblaten” in European grocery stores or online on Amazon, Walmart, and specialty German food stores. If you don’t have access to them you can bake your “Lebkuchen” on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper without the “Oblaten” underneath.
Wet your hands to handle and form the rather sticky dough. It does take some practice to shape the “Elisenlebkuchen”, but it will be so worth it. So don’t give up! No matter the shape they will still be delicious.
Try to make the “Elisenlebkuchen” roughly the same size to ensure even baking.
Bake them on low heat. You want the “Lebkuchen” to rather dry than bake. This will ensure the soft and chewy consistency rather than too dry and hard.
In case they come out a bit too hard, place some apple quarters in the cookie tin with your “Elisenlebkuchen”. The moisture from the apples will make them a bit softer over time.
Store in a cookie tin or container for several weeks.
INGREDIENTS
250 g hazelnuts
150 g almonds
250 g sugar
3 eggs
50 g candied lemon peel (Zitronat)
50 g candied orange peel (Orangeat)
2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1tsp cloves, ground
25-30 “Oblaten” wafers/ round baking wafers
150 g dark chocolate
25 g unsalted butter
100 g Whole or sliced almonds
TOOLS YOU WILL NEED
kitchen scale
hand or stand mixer
sharp knife
rubber spatula
baking sheet
parchment paper
double boiler or microwave
brush
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F).
Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Finely dice your candied lemon and orange peel with a sharp knife.
Add eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or hand mixer) and beat on medium/ high speed until they are thick, very fluffy, and have tripled in size.
Add in diced lemon and orange peel and mix on low speed until nicely incorporated.
Fold in ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, cinnamon, and cloves and mix on low speed or by hand with a rubber spatula until nicely incorporated.
Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The dough will be moist and sticky.
Shape “Elisenlebkuchen” with wet hands and place on “Oblaten”/ wafer paper rounds. I like to have a small bowl with water to dip in my fingers and then I form a ball, place it on the wafer paper and press the sides slightly down with my fingers. The edges should be a bit thinner than the middle part and rounded. Make sure the dough won’t go over the sides of the wafer paper since they will expand a bit.
Bake for 12-15 minutes at 160°C (320°F).
Take your Lebkuchen out of the oven and let cool down for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring them to a cooling rack to let them fully cool down.
I like to peel whole almonds while they’re cooling down. To easily peel raw almonds, put them in a medium sized bowl, pour hot water over them until fully covered and let sit for 5- 10 minutes. After the water has cooled down slightly, gently squeeze the almonds between your fingers. The almonds should pop right out and the peels slip right off.
Melt your chocolate and butter in a double boiler or microwave.
I like to cut my peeled almonds lengthwise in half with a small knife.
With a brush give your Lebkuchen a nice coat of chocolate and decorate with sliced or whole almonds.
Let your “Elisenlebkuchen” dry completely before enjoying them right away or storing them away in a cookie tin.
GERMAN ELISENLEBKUCHEN RECIPE
by Julia
“Lebkuchen” are like the German version of gingerbread and a very popular treat during Christmas time. “Elisenlebkuchen” are soft and chewy, filled with all the goodness of nuts, candied citrus and warm spices. They are baked on thin, flavourless, edible wafer paper called “Oblaten”, covered in dark chocolate and decorated with almonds.
PREP : 30 minutes BAKE : 12-15 minutes YIELD : 25 Lebkuchen
INGREDIENTS
250 g hazelnuts
150 g almonds
250 g sugar
3 eggs
50 g candied lemon peel (Zitronat)
50 g candied orange peel (Orangeat)
2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1tsp cloves, ground
25 “Oblaten” wafers/
round baking wafers
150 g dark chocolate
25 g unsalted butter
100 g whole or sliced almonds
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F).
Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Finely dice your candied lemon and orange peel with a sharp knife.
Add eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or hand mixer) and beat on medium- high speed until they are thick, very fluffy, and have tripled in size.
Add in diced lemon and orange peel and mix on low speed until nicely incorporated.
Fold in ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, cinnamon, and cloves and mix on low speed or by hand with a rubber spatula until nicely incorporated. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The dough will be moist and sticky.
Shape “Elisenlebkuchen” with wet hands and place on “Oblaten”/ wafer paper rounds. I like to have a small bowl with water to dip in my fingers and then I form a ball, place it on the wafer paper and press the sides slightly down with my fingers. The edges should be a bit thinner than the middle part and rounded. Make sure the dough won’t go over the sides of the wafer paper since they will expand a bit.
Bake for 12-125 minutes at 160°C (320°F).
Take your Lebkuchen out of the oven and let cool down for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring them to a cooling rack to let them fully cool down.
I like to peel whole almonds while they’re cooling down. To easily peel raw almonds, put them in a medium sized bowl, pour hot water over them until fully covered and let sit for 5- 10 minutes. After the water has cooled down slightly, gently squeeze the almonds between your fingers. The almonds should pop right out and the peels slip right off.
Melt your chocolate and butter in a double boiler or microwave.
I like to cut my peeled almonds lengthwise in half with a small knife (optional)
With a brush give your Lebkuchen a nice coat of chocolate and decorate with sliced or whole Almonds.
Let your “Elisenlebkuchen” dry completely before enjoying them right away or storing them away in a cookie tin.