Leckerli

½ cup candied orange peel

½ cup candied lemon peel

1 ½ cups whole unblanched almonds

¾ cup honey

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

2 Tbs grated lemon peel

¼ cup lemon juice

1 ½ Tbs kirschwasser

3 ¾ cups unsifted all-purpose flour

Dash salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Dash ground cloves

Dash ground nutmeg

Candied red or green cherries

Citron

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup water

Preheat to 350°

With sharp knife, finely chop the candied orange and lemon peel. In food processor, grind whole almonds (makes 2 cups ground). In medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring honey and granulated sugar just to boiling, stirring constantly (do not boil).

Add grated lemon peel and lemon juice; mix well. Remove to rack; cool 10 minutes. Add chopped candied peel, ground almonds and kirsch; mix with wooden spoon until well blended. Into a large bowl, sift flour with salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

With wooden spoon, make a well in center of flour mixture; pour in fruit-and-honey mixture; mix with spoon; with hands, knead in the bowl until blended. Dough will be quite stiff. Divide dough into 4 parts; place each part between 2 sheets of waxed paper.

Roll each on slightly dampened surface into 9-by-8-inch rectangle. Stack on cookie sheet; refrigerate 1 hour. Prepare cherries and citron for decorating. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine confectioners’ sugar with the water. Remove one sheet of cookies at a time.

Peel of waxed paper. Using a 3-inch heart cookie cutter, cut nine cookies. Flip dough over onto parchment lined cookie sheet; peel off waxed paper. Remove trimmings. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until golden. Remove to wire rack. Brush icing over warm cookies.

Decorate with candied fruit and citron. Reroll trimmings; bake. Cool completely before storing in a covered jar or plastic container in q cool, dry place. Store cookies with a piece of apple to make them moister; replace apple occasionally.