Swiss Honey Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
| Honey | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar | ||
| Baking soda | 1 Teaspoon | |
| 2 tablespoons rum or brandy | ||
| Blanched almonds | 3/4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1/3 cup chopped candled citron | ||
| 1/4 cup candled orange peel | ||
| Egg | 1 | |
| 1 tablespoon grated fresh orange rind | ||
| Ground cinnamon | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Ground cloves | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Ground nutmeg | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| All purpose flour | 3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Granulated Sugar | 1/3 Cup (16 tbs) (Glaze:) | |
| Water | 2 Tablespoon (Glaze:) | |
Directions
1. Combine the honey and the sugar in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until almost boiling, but do not boil. Cool the mixture to lukewarm, for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a medium-size bowl.
2. Dissolve the baking soda in the rum or brandy in a small bowl.
3. Stir the almonds, citron, candied orange peel, egg, fresh orange rind, baking soda-rum mixture, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg into the honey mixture. Gradually add the flour to make a soft, sticky dough. Cover the dough in the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough overnight or for several days.
4. Preheat the oven to moderate (350°).
5. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Slide a large cookie sheet under the dough.
6. Bake the dough in the preheated moderate oven (350°) for 20 minutes or until the cake is slightly browned and the center springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertip.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the Glaze: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer the glaze for 4 minutes.
8. Brush the hot glaze over the hot cake on the cookie sheet. With a sharp, wet knife, cut the cake into squares or rectangles; do not separate until the cake is completely cool.
9. Decorate the pieces of cake with the glace cherries and citron, if you wish. Store the cakes for a few days to mellow, in a tightly covered container with wax paper between the layers of cakes.
2. Dissolve the baking soda in the rum or brandy in a small bowl.
3. Stir the almonds, citron, candied orange peel, egg, fresh orange rind, baking soda-rum mixture, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg into the honey mixture. Gradually add the flour to make a soft, sticky dough. Cover the dough in the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough overnight or for several days.
4. Preheat the oven to moderate (350°).
5. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Slide a large cookie sheet under the dough.
6. Bake the dough in the preheated moderate oven (350°) for 20 minutes or until the cake is slightly browned and the center springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertip.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the Glaze: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer the glaze for 4 minutes.
8. Brush the hot glaze over the hot cake on the cookie sheet. With a sharp, wet knife, cut the cake into squares or rectangles; do not separate until the cake is completely cool.
9. Decorate the pieces of cake with the glace cherries and citron, if you wish. Store the cakes for a few days to mellow, in a tightly covered container with wax paper between the layers of cakes.
Chef
