Lebkuchen
I must admit that this Christmas spirit has yet to hit me but the baking has.
I am one of those people who like to give edible gifts to young and old and hope that it brings a smile to their faces.
It's all about handmade and giving someone something you created is much more valuable for me than popping into a shop and grabbing something off the shelf.
I remember many years ago whilst studying I had given a friend a card I had made and another "friend" asked why I didn't have time to just buy one.
It has been about 11 years and I still remember that like it was yesterday.
The reason I thought of this again was because we were going to wrap a birthday present for one of Amelie's friends and I asked her to grab a painting of hers so we can wrap the present up in, she then asked me if we had "real" wrapping paper because everyone else uses real wrapping paper so why don't we.... a part of me was a little sad that she thought real wrapping paper was prettier that her artwork..
So back to handmade Christmas, here's a recipe for Lebkuchen which just made our house smell deliciously of Christmas.
makes about 30-40
ingredients
- 100g butter at room temperature
- 250g golden syrup (or a mixture of both golden syrup & treacle)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 350g plain flour
- 60g cornflour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
method
- preheat oven to 180C/160C fan and line baking trays with paper
- place butter and golden syrup into a small saucepan and continuously stir over a low heat until smooth and melted. remove from heat and add the milk
- sift dry ingredients into a bowl and add butter mixture and mix until combined and mixture comes together
- roll out onto baking paper about 7-8mm thick
- cut out shapes and place onto prepared trays and bake for around 10-20 minutes depending on sizes, just until lightly browned. a 6cm shape may take up to 20 minutes
- cool slightly and place onto a wire rack to cool completely
- you can decorate by dipping in chocolate or piping chocolate or icing words onto them
If you are in Melbourne and would like to do a Christmas Cookie workshop with me on the 4th of December, details are here
Hope you enjoy the following weeks before the Christmas rush.
♥*pumpkin spice
✗
♥
I do so love a handmade gift! You have brought back grand memories for me with your Lebkuchen recipe. When I was a child, my best friend lived across the street. Her mother was German and every year for Christmas she would bake like a woman possessed (always with a song and a smile), she would fill every available surface with trays of cookies; traditional German delicacies as well as all other sorts of amazing confections. I would walk into her house and the smell was divine and the view of hundreds of cookies was absolute magic to me. She would let help decorate some of them and of course eat some. She was an outstanding baker and a lovely woman. She would plate up the cookies and wrap them beautifully, then she would take them to every house on our street as gifts for the neighbors. Such a labor of love and deliciousness! Thank you for bringing that back to me.
ReplyDeleteHandmade gifts and cards are all the more nicer because of the time and love that has gone into making them. Plus anything homemade always tastes better. Your stars with the bakers twine look lovely and anyone would be lucky to receive these from you x
ReplyDeleteOH yum ! That recipe looks devine !
ReplyDeleteI have been busily handmaking as much as humanly possible this year - even made some homemade basil pesto as gifts.
Your lovely daughter will come around - what a great idea to use her artwork as wrapping paper. Altho, it does take a while - I'm sure I'll get a few raised eyebrows when I present gifts wrapped in pages from an old Melway this year :)
Happy Wednesdya, Dee xo
Yummmo...I see you have your camera back!! Whaoooo! xx
ReplyDeletethose biscuits look delicious! I love the stories of the first two commenters on this post. I'm seriously considering that christmas cookie workshop....
ReplyDeletei am absolutely appalled at that "friends" ignorant comment regarding your handmade card - appalled!
we use children's paintings for wrapping paper all of the time and you know i make my cards, well, the children do at the moment....
will have to have a go at these, they sound delicious and i can just imagine how good they would make the house smell!
ReplyDeletemmm nom nom nom they look yummy! every year i buy the man a packet of Pfeffernüsse. Its become a bit of a christmas ritual. Pfeffernüsse and strong coffee.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas cooking.
xB
I am so proud that my little M takes great pleasure in being one of the only kids who does home baked/handmade christmas gifts for his class mates....we have great fun working on it together.....thats what gets me into the Christmas spirit!
ReplyDeleteChristmas Cookie workshop!!!??? OH I wish I was there!! I have plans to bake for xmas pressies this year too, so much nicer I think :) We dont do 'real' wrapping paper either lol Mainly because I always forget to bu it or think its way too expensive for something someone just rips open but I too have come to prefer the recycled kind. I guess some people just never appreciate or understand the homemade/handmade gift but I hink its the best kind.
ReplyDeleteHi Cathie, so lovely to see you back. I think handmade gifts and card are so much more lovely and personnal i think as you get older you appreciate it more. Its hard as a child i think, because sadly you don't want to been seen as different which is sad. yummy recipe i can imagin the smell. Have a great week. dee x
ReplyDeleteoh cathie, you have totally inspired me. i just adore christmas craft and cooking - but i have not been so motivated yet....
ReplyDeletethis post made me smile and i am off to print this lovely cookie recipe. x
I totally agree receiving handmade things are very special. I am making my niece cute cupcakes with roses made out of flower paste and glitter. She makes her own cards and gives them too me - she has a handmade soul.
ReplyDeleteJust perfect. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletemmmm looks delicious! I am going to give your zucchini and carrot cupcakes a go tomorrow x
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures, thank you for sharing your recipe. I agree with you completely, homemake items make the best gifts.
ReplyDeleteoops "homemake" sound say "homemade" :)
ReplyDeleteyour blog is rather splendid
ReplyDeletejust putting it out there! :-)
x x
Oh will definitely try that recipe I've always wanted to make some lebkuchan to remind me of chlidhood christmases. Amazing images by the way. x
ReplyDeletehomemade rocks! you don't need to worry about any negative comments you know we all LOVE what you bake & give. Wrapping up presents in children's paintings is pure love XO
ReplyDeleteI love receiving, and giving, handmade gifts. Your cookies look adorable an delicious! I arrive in Melbourne on Dec. 22nd....I wish I was there for the 4th! Sounds like so much fun.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, i wrap gifts in art (great way to share it) & adult gifts in fabric or tea towels, all round purpose for everything!! Always handmade cards from our house, love Posie
ReplyDeleteThank-you for that card. I luv you mbxxx
ReplyDelete