Date Lebkuchen

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Let's start out by congratulating the winner of my book giveaway!  Joanne will be having some new reading material coming her way soon.  And for everyone else, there'll be another giveaway later this week.  I'm in a very giving mood lately.

Like making a tray of cookies to bring in to work.  It's been crazy lately - I'm sure the moreso because I've been in and out of the office the past 2 weeks because of illness.  So bringing in a bit of sweet was almost a necessity.

I like baking with dates, because they add a nice chewy sweetness, but not overwhelmingly so.  Of course, these cookies also have sugar in them.  Because as nice as dates are, they do not a cookie make.
 

Date Lebkuchen (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

grated rind and juice of 1/4 lemon

grated rind and juice of 1/4 orange

1/4 lb dates, pitted and chopped

1 egg

1/4 lb sugar

1/2 cups flour

pinch salt

1/4 tsp instant coffee

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 Tbsp orange juice

1/4 tsp butter, melted

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a baking pan with baking spray.  In a small bowl, combine the rinds and juice of the lemon and orange.
2. Add the dates and let marinate for an hour.
3. Beat the egg until light.
4. Slowly add the brown sugar, flour, salt, coffee, baking powder, and cinnamon.
5. Stir in the dates and walnuts.  Spread in the pan and bake for 30 minutes.  Cool in the pan.
6. In a small bowl combine the orange juice, butter, and confectioners' sugar.  Spread over the cookies and cut into squares.