Berner Honiglebkuchen
Berner Honiglebkuchen are "Lebkuchen" traditionally made in Berne, Switzerland. Distinguished from other Lebkuchen by their sometimes elaborate sugar decorations, they are not to be confused with the "Berner Haselnusslebkuchen", another Bernese specialty which is made from ground hazelnuts. Composition and production. "Honiglebkuchen" dough is made of honey, milk, margarine, flour and potassium carbonate (as leavening agent), as well as a mixture of spices. The spice mixture is specific to each bakery – which is why it is said that no two "Honiglebkuchen" taste the same – but coriander, anise, star anise, cloves, ginger and nutmeg are commonly used. After a  leavening period of four days, the dough is softened by rolling it, rolled out to a thickness of , and cut into the desired shape. Most "Honiglebkuchen" are rectangular, but round or heart-shaped forms are also used. The "Lebkuchen" are baked as dryly as possible at around for about 14 to 20 minutes. Immediately afterwards, they are given a shiny coat with a solution of potato starch in water, called "Feculé". The sugar decorations are traditionally applied manually by specialised confectioners using a triangular bag. The most popular motif is the bear, Berne's heraldic animal, which is shown in  various scenes and poses, such as in the "Bärengraben". Cheaper "Lebkuchen", such as the one pictured above, feature standardised decorations applied by template. History. "Lebkuchen" with honey and exotic spices were already made in medieval Swiss monasteries. A 16th-century recipe from Lucerne is already very similar to the contemporary recipe, except that fewer spices were used. In Berne, the "Lebkuchen" is first recorded in early 19th century cookbooks. The sugar decorations are believed to have come into general use some time after sugar manufactured from mangelwurzel became widely affordable in the early 19th century, but around the turn of  the 20th century at the latest. A baker's manual of 1946 records that "the embellishments ... are made according to a decades-old tradition" and that "the application of bears, edelweiss, doves and so forth ... is and has always been a specialty and a point of pride of the Bernese confectioner." Together with their hazelnut counterpart, "Honiglebkuchen" are the signature product of Bernese bakers and are particularly popular in the December holiday season, as well as with tourists throughout the year. Recently, "Honiglebkuchen" whose decoration can be customised through Internet services have also become popular. Consumption. Bakers recommend taking the  Lebkuchen together with café au lait, in which the cake can also be dunked to improve its flavour. If eaten in this manner, even "Lebkuchen" hardened by months of exposure to air remain appetizing.