Nürnberger Lebkuchen — honey and almond gingerbread
A soft gingerbread bound with honey, rich with ground almonds, candied fruit, and the great bouquet of Nuremberg spices, often set on a thin wafer of unleavened bread (the Oblate). It keeps well and travels without spoiling.
A soft gingerbread bound with honey, rich with ground almonds, candied fruit, and the great bouquet of Nuremberg spices, often set on a thin wafer of unleavened bread (the Oblate). It keeps well and travels without spoiling.
My city is queen of spices, for from Venice come over the passes ginger, cinnamon, and pepper, and our bakers make a honey bread that has no equal. When I depart beyond the mountains, I slip some into my baggage: it keeps and does not spoil, and it comforts a traveler's stomach far from home. Believe me, a piece of Lebkuchen and a prayer, and the road seems shorter.
- •Honey — abundantly (sweetener and binder)
- •Ground almonds — a good portion (body of the dough)
- •Wheat flour — moderately (binder)
- •Candied orange and lemon peel — finely chopped (fruity flavor)
- •Spice blend (cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamom, pepper) — generously (Nuremberg signature)
- •Wafers (unleavened bread) — discs (baking base)
Nürnberger Lebkuchen — honey and almond gingerbread
A soft gingerbread bound with honey, rich with ground almonds, candied fruit, and the great bouquet of Nuremberg spices, often set on a thin wafer of unleavened bread (the Oblate). It keeps well and travels without spoiling.
Why this dish? Dürer was a great traveler — Venice, the Netherlands, Augsburg. Lebkuchen, the glory of his native city, keeps for weeks: it was the ideal traveler's provision, sweet, dense, and fragrant with the spices Nuremberg received from all over the world.
My city is queen of spices, for from Venice come over the passes ginger, cinnamon, and pepper, and our bakers make a honey bread that has no equal. When I depart beyond the mountains, I slip some into my baggage: it keeps and does not spoil, and it comforts a traveler's stomach far from home. Believe me, a piece of Lebkuchen and a prayer, and the road seems shorter.
Ingredients (period version)
- Honey — abundantly (sweetener and binder)
- Ground almonds — a good portion (body of the dough)
- Wheat flour — moderately (binder)
- Candied orange and lemon peel — finely chopped (fruity flavor)
- Spice blend (cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamom, pepper) — generously (Nuremberg signature)
- Wafers (unleavened bread) — discs (baking base)
Ingredients
- Honey — 250 g (sweetener and binder)
- Ground almonds — 200 g (body of the dough)
- Flour — 100 g (binder)
- Eggs — 2 (binder)
- Candied orange and lemon peel — 80 g, chopped (fruity flavor)
- Mixed spice (4-spice + cinnamon + ginger + cardamom) — 2 teaspoons total (Nuremberg signature)
- Baking soda — 1/2 teaspoon (leavening (modern substitute))
- Wafer discs (oblaten) — about 10 (baking base)
Method
- Warm the honey to make it fluid, let it cool slightly.
- Mix ground almonds, flour, spices, and baking soda; add eggs and candied peel.
- Stir in the honey and work into a thick, sticky dough; let rest for 1 hour.
- Place spoonfuls of dough onto the wafer discs, smooth into domes with a wet spoon.
- Bake at 160°C for 18–20 minutes: they should remain soft. Let cool and store in an airtight container for several days before eating.
How it was made : Nuremberg Lebkuchen is attested since the Middle Ages, linked to monasteries and the city's status as a spice hub. Baking on wafers (Oblate) prevented the very sticky dough from sticking to the oven. They were glazed with sugar or decorated, and could keep for months — hence their reputation as durable provisions.
The contemporary twist : A thin sugar glaze and an 'AD' monogram painted with white chocolate — a discreet homage to the engraved signature Dürer placed on his works.
Albrecht Dürer · Charactorium