Baselbieter Läckerli

Flavors are reflections of things or places we have visited. One of my frequent flavors have been in Basel Switzerland, that being the Basel Läckerli. This simple confection resembling a glazed roof tile has two versions,one a city the other the countryside.  I learned from my brother in-law who gives me the historic tour of Switzerland and my sister the culinary side. The city of Basel had controlled  Baselland  since the 16th century but when Napoleon visited in 1789 he left lots of ideas like the metric systems, but also  left the Basellanders who were less educated with the feeling of equal parity with the City of Basels gentry and in 1833 there was a division. There was a battle as well and the Basellanders routed the city, my brother in-law even recounted a story of cannibalism! Whatever the case maybe even the cookies look different, like for instance the ones sold at most tourist shops or at the Läckerli Huus in the city of Basel.The country Läckerli are a bit thicker and have a more cake crumb texture than the cities leaner and drier version! There a humble but delicious treat.

Baselbieter Läckerli

375 F oven  Equipment: cookie or sheet pan covered with parchment paper and rolling pin.
4 eggs
500g Sugar
2Tbsp Honey
100g Candied Lemon zest
100g Candied Orange zest
250g Hazelnut flour or ground hazelnuts chopped fine
1tsp Cinnamon
1 ground clove
5g Baking powder
500g A.P. flour

Glaze:
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
1-2 tsp lemon juice
to make a loose glaze

Beat sugar and eggs till fluffy to  the ribbon stage, add honey, zests,hazelnut flour, spices and mix till incorporated.
Combine and sift flour and baking powder.Add flour into mix kneading lightly to gather dough into a ball. Place dough into cookie sheet that is covered with parchment and rolling it evenly until dough fills the pan.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes till firm and golden brown.
Glaze after the cookie has cooled and let the glaze set. Cut cookies in about 1.5 inch squares and keep them in your cookie jar if you can!

Comments

[Jeremy]

Ingrid,
Thanks for stopping by and finding your fix!
My dear sister was kind enough to share this with me as she figured out I am always finishing these laeckerli's so fast! Hope you will like the countrified version, they are a thicker and less dry one then the city version, you will love them!

[carlsen ingrid]

Our last Swiss Frs were spend on the Laeckerli cookies, before returning home to Australia. Needless to say, they were finished off long before reaching the Aussie customs, who would have confiscated them anyway.Now we´re adicted and found out that having them send from Basel to Aus would cost us double their price in postage. What a find your recepe was, can´t wait to make some batches for all my Ausie friends to try. Thanks Ingrid