Lebkucken--Birr - molasses

Method

• *Molasses--use about half and half, dark and light.
• In a cup dissolve soda in a little warm water.
• In a large saucepan, put butter, sugar, honey and molasses, where it will get hot but DO NOT boil!
• When sugar dissolves (just before boiling), remove from stove and place in LARGE mixing bowl and let cool a bit.
• Can be warm to touch but not hot!!
• Add cardamon, cloves, and soda and mix.
• Add egg yolks and mix well.
• Then beat egg whites stiff and add them.
• Mix together adding as much flour as can be stirred with spoon, to make a very stiff dough.
• Let chill slight or even overnight.
• (Dough will keep well for 3 days in refrigerator).
• Knead with hands a bit and roll out onto floured pastry cloth.
• Cut into cookie shapes.
• Bake on Cookie sheets at 350 6 to 8 mins.
• If using airbake pans, cook about 8 mins.
• COOL BEFORE STACKING in cookie container.
• **Optional; before baking sprinkle with colored crystals for decoration.
• Also great with ICING and decorated--use a confectioners sugar, butter type icing.
• To keep cookies soft in containers add a piece of bread in the container and keep sealed.
• They will keep for months (if not eaten quick enough).
• Uniced cookies freeze well.
• Traditionally we would bake these the day after Thanksgiving, and all would stir the dough with wooden spoon, until the spoon stood straight up!
• Best if left to age a couple days before eating!
• (In your dreams!!)
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