Honey Cake

MAKES 1 TRAY

For the dough: 1½ cups (500 g) honey, 2/3 cup (a little bit more than 1/8 1) vegetable oil, 1¼ cup (250 g) sugar, 5 2/3 cups (700 g) flour, 1 tbsp (10 g) baking powder, 2 2/3 (250 g) ground almonds (blanched), ½ oz (15 g) gingerbread spice, 1 pinch salt, 3 eggs, 3½ oz (100 g) finely chopped candied lemon peel, 3½ oz (100 g) finely chopped candied orange peel

For decorating: 3 tbsp condensed milk, 3½ oz (100 g) peeled maraschino cherries, ¾ cup (100 g) almonds

Additional: butter for the baking sheet, flour to knead in

In a pot over medium heat, bring the honey to a boil with the oil and sugar and let cool again. Sift the flour and the baking powder into a bowl and mix with almonds, gingerbread spice, salt, eggs, candied lemon peel, and candied orange peel. Add in the cooled honey mixture and knead everything together well. If necessary, knead in a little more flour. Leave the dough covered in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C), unless you have a convection oven, in which case preheat to 355°F (180°C), or a gas oven, in which case preheat to level 4. Grease a baking sheet. Place the dough onto the baking sheet, press down on it evenly using floured hands, and then brush with the condensed milk. Using a sharp knife and a ruler, mark 2 1/3 in. x 2 1/3 in. (6 cm x 6 cm) squares on the cake. Garnish each piece with a symmetrical pattern of halved maraschino cherries and peeled almonds (see photo). Place into a preheated oven (middle rack) and bake 35-45 minutes, until light brown.

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, divide the dough into the marked squares, and let cool on a wire rack.

 

It is a quote. Christmas Cookies Dozens of Classic Yuletide Treats for the Whole Family 2015