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1
Mix all the nuts, spices, citrus peel, vanilla and flour (every except for eggs and sugar and wafers) into a bowl.
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2
Working in batches, grind the mixture into a rough meal using a food processor.
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3
Don't make it into a powder - leave some graininess so the cookies will have a good texture.
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4
In a metal bowl, beat the eggs and powdered sugar together until all the white powder disappears.
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5
Heat some water in a big frying pan or pot on the stove, place the egg mixture bowl in the hot water and heat it until it's 40-43C (you need to make it hot so it brings out the stickiness in the eggs).
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6
Transfer to a mixer or use a beater, and beat the egg mix on low medium speed until it thickens up and turns a little white (You probably have to reheat the eggs at least one time).
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7
Beating them to this consistency will give your cookies a wonderful sticky texture!
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8
Add the spice and nut mixture to the egg mixture and gently mix.
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9
Cover and let rest for one hour - this will help the mixture thicken up more.
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10
After one hour, it's time to put the 'dough' on the oblaten!
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11
One good way to do this is place a wine glass on the table upside down, put an oblaten wafer on the bottom of the glass and use it as a stand to work on.
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12
Using a dough scraper card, scoop up a big dollop of the lebkuchen dough and gently scrap it onto the oblaten wafer (scoop up more than you need so you have enough to work with)
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13
While rotating the glass around, gently scrap the dough from the center to the sides - try to leave the center as high as possible like you are trying to form a pyramid.
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14
The middle should be nice and thick or else you'll end up with flat lebkuchen.
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15
Place the finished lebkuchen on a baking sheet one by one.
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16
Bake for 15 minutes at 200C/400F
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17
Remove from oven.
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18
For the sugar coating: brush half of the cookies with thick sugar water/syrup immediately.
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19
After the syrup dries, it will give the cookies a nice white frosted look.
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20
For the chocolate covered ones, you have to wait until they dry completely to do the chocolate.
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21
When cooled, melt chocolate in a double boiler (Put chocolate in a small metal bowl, heat a pan of water and place the bowl on the hot water until chocolate melts)
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22
Brush over lebkuchen and decorate with almond slivers if you like.
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23
Let chocolate dry completely.
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24
All done!
