Warm up honey and sugar. While stirring, add the fat, spices and lemon zest. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Gradually mix the honey and sugar mixture with the flour and cocoa and knead well. Lightly whisk the eggs and mix into the batter. Mix the potash carefully in the kirsch, dissolve it well and mix it with the batter.
IMPORTANT:
Do not leave the dough to stand for long during preparation, otherwise it will solidify and can hardly be worked with.
Knead and mix until it no longer sticks and is smooth and shiny. (It is possible that you have to add some more flour)
The best thing to do is to use the dough hook of the hand mixer, or even better, the food processor. Grandma left the whole kneading procedure to Grandpa.
Shape a ball and let the dough rest for at least 1 night. But as recommended above, the gingerbread only taste really good if you leave the dough in peace for 2 months.
Before rolling out, knead it again firmly and then roll it out as thick as a finger on a floured surface.
Cut out the dough with the help of a template (Grandpa was allowed to make it) or with a heart cutter. Let these structures rest for another 1 - 2 hours.
Bake on baking paper (or a lightly greased, floured tray) in the preheated oven on the middle rack.
Check the color every now and then, because the gingerbread must not get too dark, otherwise it will taste bitter. If necessary reduce the heat.
Bake time about 20 minutes at 180 - 200 ° C. Hot air a little less, gas level 2 - 3
The amount is enough for a normal tin. Let the gingerbread cool immediately on a wire rack. If you want the surface to shine, brush with sugar water just before the end of the baking time. Otherwise decorate the cooled gingerbread with sugar icing.
If you want to decorate with almonds, you should press them lightly into the dough before baking.
Grandma loved hearts, which she brushed with hazelnut glaze (finished product) after they had cooled down. In the middle she placed a chocolate mocha bean or a silver sugar ball for decoration.
Of course, for us children there was also this typical Santa Claus, which was provided with a wafer picture. (That`s why Grandpa also had to make the template).
I don`t know how Grandma Frieda specially attached these little pictures. Probably with a paste made from powdered sugar and water.
The taste is very typical as the gingerbread used to taste. Slightly tart, similar to those decorated gingerbread hearts at the fair, but of course a lot better.
It is possible that the gingerbread will become rock-hard, then you should store it in moist air or with a sliced apple. This makes it soft as butter again.
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