Mandellebkuchen

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs
• 180 g cane sugar
• 2 tsp gingerbread spice
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp rum
• 75 g lemon curd (very finely diced)
• 0.25 tsp baking powder
• almond kernels (125 g ground each)
• hazelnuts (125 g ground each)
• 20 baking sheets (9 cm diameter)
• 50 g almond flakes
• 180 g powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp liquid butter
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. 1.

   Beat eggs with sugar, spices and rum until thick and creamy.

2. 2.

   Add lemon curd, baking powder and nuts; the batter should remain spreadable. Cut the sheets into tree-shaped patterns. Spread the batter 1 cm high on the sheets with a wet knife. Place on a tray and refrigerate overnight to dry.

3. 3.

   Bake the gingerbread in a preheated oven at 150°C (middle rack) for about 30 minutes until light brown.

4. 4.

   Toast almond flakes in a dry pan without fat.

5. 5.

   Whisk together 150 g powdered sugar, liquid butter, lemon juice and a little water into a glaze. Spread over warm gingerbread and garnish with almond flakes.

6. 6.

   Mix remaining powdered sugar with about 1 tsp water into a thick glaze, fill a small zip‑lock bag, cut a tiny corner, spray decoratively over the cakes, then sprinkle crystal sugar and let cool.