Basler Leckerli

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups honey
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ cup candied orange peel, finely diced
• ½ cup blanched almonds, finely chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. 1

   Set the oven to 350°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with the paper slightly overhanging two opposite sides so you can lift the finished cake out easily.

3. 3

   Pour the honey into a small saucepan and set it over medium heat until it is warm and runny, about 1 minute — it should feel warm to the back of your finger but not hot.

4. 4

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, and salt until the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.

5. 5

   Stir the candied orange peel and chopped almonds into the flour mixture until they are coated with flour.

6. 6

   Pour the warm honey into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until no dry flour streaks remain and the batter is thick and uniform, about 1 minute.

7. 7

   Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer about 1/2 inch thick using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

8. 8

   Place the pan in the oven and bake until the top is a deep golden-brown color and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter, about 25 to 30 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes so it is cool enough to handle but still warm.

10. 10

    In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and water until no lumps remain and the mixture is smooth and spreadable, like thick glue.

11. 11

    Spread the icing evenly over the warm cake using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, covering the entire surface in a thin layer.

12. 12

    Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour, until the icing has dried and hardened.

13. 13

    Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a cutting board, then use a sharp knife to cut it into 24 pieces — a grid of 4 rows by 6 columns works well.

Tools you’ll need

• small saucepan
• medium mixing bowl
• whisk
• wooden spoon
• 9-by-13-inch baking pan
• parchment paper
• offset spatula or spoon
• wire cooling rack
• small bowl
• cutting board
• sharp knife

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