Lebkuchen Cookies

Heat the honey, sugar and butter in a pan, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, transfer to a mixing bowl and leave to cool slightly.

Add the ground almonds, flour, spices, lemon zest and egg to the butter mixture and knead well. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and water and continue kneading until the dough is shiny and does not stick to the bowl. Add a little more flour if necessary, the dough should be firm and malleable. Cover the bowl and chill overnight.

Heat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) 350°F gas 4. Line 3 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 4-5mm|1/2" and cut out shapes - hearts, stars, rounds, squares using cookie cutters or card templates.

Place on the baking trays and bake for 14-18 minutes. Cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing: sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Beat in the lemon juice and just enough water to make a smooth thick icing.

Put into a piping bag and pipe on the biscuits, as in the photo.