Lebkuchen

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup honey

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup butter

1 egg, beaten

4 cups cake flour

1 t. soda

½ t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ground cloves

2/3 cup pecans, chopped fine

¼ cup citron, chopped fine

¼ cup candied lemon peel, chopped fine

Heat and stir first four ingredients till butter melts. Beat 10 minutes. Add egg. Beat 20 minutes. Gradually add dry ingredients sifted together four times. Work in nuts and fruit. Ripen dough in refrigerator 5-7 days.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Roll out about ¼ inch thick and cut the size of a playing car. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool on racks and store in airtight container for a week or two. Frost with butter cream frosting.

Notes: Rick - The cookies should be cut smaller than dad suggests—a fairly small playing card is 2¼x3½ and my cookies are nicely sized about half that, 1½x2¼; the dough, which is extraordinarily sticky, should be rolled out on a floured pastry board and cut with a board scraper; and they should be cooked on parchment paper, probably for less time than he suggests since they are smaller: I’d say 12 minutes.

Dad