Oma’s German Gingerbread Bars (Lebkuchen)

Method11 steps · about 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 10 × 15 inch (about 25 × 38 cm) rimmed baking sheet, about 1 inch deep, with a little separate greasing oil.

   Uses a little oil to grease the rimmed baking sheet

2. 2

   Step 2: Have the extra candied fruits and peels and the slivered almonds or walnut pieces ready for decorating, if using them. Cut larger candied pieces to the size you want. Keep these decoration supplies separate from the measured dough ingredients.

   Uses extra candied fruits and peels for decorating, as desired · extra almonds or walnuts for decorating, as desired

3. 3

   Step 3: In a small clean bowl, beat the 1 pasteurized egg white, 188 g powdered sugar and 15 ml lemon juice until smooth. Keep this completed icing ready to spread over the gingerbread while it is warm.

   Uses 1 pasteurized egg white for icing · 188 g powdered sugar for icing · 15 ml lemon juice for icing

4. 4

   Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, beat the 1 large dough egg with the 30 ml dough canola oil. Add all 100 g packed brown sugar and beat well, then mix in all 113 g honey and 113 g molasses.

   Uses 1 large egg for gingerbread dough · 30 ml canola oil for dough · 100 g packed brown sugar · 113 g honey · 113 g molasses

5. 5

   Step 5: In another bowl, mix all 260 g all-purpose flour, 8 g ready Lebkuchen spice mix and 3 g baking soda. Add the whole dry mixture to the prepared egg, oil, sugar, honey and molasses mixture and beat until well combined.

   Uses 260 g all-purpose flour · 8 g ready Lebkuchen spice mix · 3 g baking soda · complete sweet egg and oil mixture from step 4

6. 6

   Step 6: Stir all 55 g slivered dough almonds and 120 g chopped candied fruits and peels into the prepared dough. The completed dough will be very thick.

   Uses mixed spiced gingerbread dough from step 5 · 55 g slivered almonds for dough · 120 g chopped candied fruits and peels for dough

7. 7

   Step 7: Spread all the thick dough evenly over the prepared baking sheet. Dip the back of a spoon in a little separate water as needed to spread the dough without sticking.

   Uses complete thick almond and candied-fruit dough from step 6 · greased rimmed baking sheet from step 1 · a little water for wetting the spoon

8. 8

   Step 8: Bake the filled sheet at 180°C (350°F) for 15–20 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start checking at 15 minutes.

   Bake gingerbread bars · 15 minUses whole filled gingerbread sheet from step 7

9. 9

   Step 9: Immediately after removing the baked sheet from the oven, use a sharp knife to score the top crust into about 32 bars. Score only through the crust at this stage; leave the bars together in the sheet for glazing.

   Uses fully baked gingerbread sheet from step 8

10. 10

    Step 10: Spread the prepared pasteurized egg-white icing evenly over the still-warm scored gingerbread. Add the prepared extra candied fruits and peels and/or nuts, if using them. Let the whole sheet cool completely on a wire rack, until the icing is set.

    Uses warm scored gingerbread sheet from step 9 · complete prepared icing from step 3 · extra prepared decoration supplies from step 2, if using them

11. 11

    Step 11: Once the glazed sheet is completely cool and the icing is set, cut all the way through along the score marks to separate about 32 individual bars. Serve the finished bars.

    Uses completely cooled glazed gingerbread sheet from step 10