The Latin word “adventus” means “coming”. The period of Advent in the Christian world predicts an expectation, a preparation to celebrate the birth of the Christ. Therefore, I dedicate this time to my preparation as well. To be honest, I don’t do many presents, lots of food, nor shopping. I do my spiritual summary of the whole year. In this hurried world, I like to stop and enjoy my small family some more.
The big part of today’s Advent celebration are so-called “Christmas markets”. Especially those in Germany smell like mulled wine and Lebkuchen. Lebkuchen is a German term for a traditional gingerbread offered everywhere in Germany. As we know the Gingerbread world-wide, the base is the spice. The smell of cinnamon, vanilla, anise, cloves, cardamom spread the happy Christmas spirit all over our homes.
Let me offer you my favourite recipe inspired by a lovely issue of the Austrian Frisch Gekocht Billa Magazine. This Lebkuchen has it all.
Serve with a cup of hot chocolate, coffee, tea or mulled wine. Guten Appetit!
Lovely cake for all the kids from age of 3, because of a possible egg white intolerance. Yummy and yummy!
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Shopping List
400g of butter, soft
120g of cane sugar
120g of caster superfine sugar
4 tablespoons of honey
4 whole eggs
150g of dark cooking chocolate (at least 60%), melted in a steam bath
500 of plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon of baking powder, sifted
A pinch of sea salt
150g of ground hazelnuts, sifted
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of ground gingerbread spice (mix of all spices mentioned above)
The Topping:
4 tablespoons of good quality sour marmalade (I used sour cherries)
200g of icing sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons of blackcurrant juice
1 tablespoon of hot boiling water
juice from ½ of lemon
Golden dust or silver sugar pearls to decorate with
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