Lebkucken--Birr

Instructions

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