Elisenlebkuchen - the Original (flourless) Nuremberg Cookies

This original Nuremberg gingerbread cookies recipe is a top secret, and the one which will share with you today is very close to the original. Cookies are childishly easy to make, and at the same time healthy, if you reduce more than half of sugar, as I did, and of course replace it with a healthier substitute. Very helpful if using "Backoblaten". or if you like waffles, cakes or gingerbread pads. With spelt ones haven't come across yet, and for this recipe I used wheat, but it is such a small amount that almost imperceptible. These waffles are also made out of whole-wheat.
And what is the taste of Elisenlebkuchen? Perfect. Delicious. The best Christmas cookies I ever had. 
Will not write more, you have to try it yourself.
Elisenlebkuchen can be stored for several weeks in well tightly closed in a box.

Ingredients for 25 cookies:

300 g ground almonds
120 g brown, unrefined sugar
25 wheat waffles, I used 70 mm ones
4 eggs, organic
4 drops lemon oil

2 tbsp candied lemon peel, preferably homemade
1 tsp almond essence
1 (2 mm) rum essence oil
1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves, minced

 
Additionally:

 
Lemon glaze:

 
50 g brown, unrefined sugar milled to powder
Juice of half large lemon
A few teaspoons of boiled water

 
Everything mix together and spread over half of cookies.

Chocolate glaze:

75 g dark chocolate, 85% or more
3 - 4 tsp maple syrup, genuine
A few teaspoons of boiled water

 
Melt the chocolate in a water bath or in oven. Add the syrup and water. Spread over other half of cookies.

Directions:

Beat the eggs until white, add sugar, reduce the speed, and add all remaining ingredients. Cover cookie sheet with a parchment paper and lay out pads. Each pad cover with a dough, flat/even it with a wet finger.
Cookies sheet place in a heated convection oven to 150°C with (175°C standard) and bake for 20 minutes. Dry cookies on a cooling rack.

Inspired by a recipe found in a German magazine.

Candied in Maple Syrup Citrus Peels

Candied lemon and orange peels are best when homemade, because then we have a full control over what's in them. During the Holiday Season they will be often used to prepare aromatic and essential dishes. Closed in little jars can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks, and frozen - in plastic containers - for several months.

Ingredients for 4 - 6 teaspoons peels:

2 lemons and 2 oranges, I used organic*
 50 ml maple syrup 
50 ml water

Directions:

Wash well citruses in hot water, peel with a peeling knife, aka - scraper. Cut the peels very finely into tiny cubes. Add them to approx. 150 ml boiling water and cook for few minutes (to lose bitterness), then drain on a fine sieve.Pour the maple syrup into the water, add the peels and cook on lower heat to so the syrup will completely evaporate (~ 30 minutes). Again, strain through a fine sieve and pour over the boiled water to prevent sticking to each other. Transfer to glass jars and store in the refrigerator or  - in plastic ones - and place in the freezer.

* Double the amount to make more of candied citruses peels

 Recipe was created in my head and comes from my heart

Double Chocolate Spelt Chip Cookies

Personally, I don't bake a lot of cookies, (doesn't mean, that I don't like to eat them :), but recently I promised them to someone who usually gets them out of the box... For this very reason I baked something special, tasty, that will convince the person to not buy them from the box anymore. 
The home baked, from scratch cookies are the only ones worthy to add few calories from time to time ;).
 Presented today double chocolate spelt chip cookies are probably the best chocolate cookies we have ever eaten, crispy outside and slightly moist inside.

 Ingredients for approximately 16 -18 cookies:

 
250 g spelt flour
170 g butter at room temperature
85 g of brown, unrefined sugar
50 g dark chocolate chips
2 tsp pure cocoa
2 tsp pure vanilla essence
2 tsp tapioca*
1 egg, organic
1 tsp baking soda (preferably less than more)
1/2 tsp sea salt

 Directions:

Mix together flour, tapioca, baking soda and salt. In another dish, beat butter with sugar, then add vanilla and egg. Combine together dry and wet ingredients and mix in the chocolate chips. Place a baking parchment paper on baking sheet and spoon the dough on it. Preheat oven to 180°C, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer them to drying rack and leave to cool.

* Can replace with potato flour or corn starch

The recipe was inspired by a sweetkitchen.