Lebkucken--Birr

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Lebkucken--Birr
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 6 servings

1 c Molasses*
1/2 c Honey
1 c Sugar
1/4 c Butter; or margarine
2 1/2 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Cardamon; ground
1 1/2 ts Ground cloves
Eggs; separated
Flour--4 to 6 cups white

*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 6-8 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, till the spoon stood straight up!
Best if left to age a couple days before eating! (In your dreams!!)

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