Festival Leckerli Cookies

Directions

Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).

Combine honey and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring constantly, until honey thinks and sugar dissolves; cool slightly.

Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into a large bowl. Add almonds, candied orange and lemon peels; mix to coat.

Add cooled honey mixture, egg and kirsch to flour mixture; stir with wooden spoon until blended.

Knead dough together with palm of hand until mixture cleans side of bowl; shape into ball; flatten slightly.

Roll dough between two sheets of wax paper to a 13×9 inch rectangle, slightly less than ¼ inch thick, keeping edges as even as possible.

Remove top piece of wax paper; flip dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet; remove second piece of wax paper.

Brush top lightly with milk. Bake in 375~ oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookie sheet to wire tack. Trim edges of cookie dough; cut into 2-inch squares.

Make Glaze:

Brush quickly over warm Leckerli. (Do not make syrup until Leckerli are out of the oven or syrup will harden) Decorate with candied red cherry halves and angelica leaves. Glaze will harden and turn white.

Glaze:

Combine ½ cup granulated sugar and 3 Tablespoons water in saucepan. Cook about 5 minutes or until it registers 235 on candy thermometer. Brush glaze on cookies while both are still warm.

NOTE:

When unsifted flour is called for, fluff up the flour in the sack or container with a fork before measuring.