Lebkuchen - German-style gingerbread

Gingerbread, also called Pfefferkuchen (pepper cake) due to the pungent, oriental spices it uses - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, coriander, and anise -- is baked without the use of yeast and is sweetened with honey. Lebkuchen has existed in German-speaking regions since at least the turn of the 14th century. Because its production required the use of ingredients that had to be imported, the first Lebkuchen was baked in cities that were centers of trade. One of these was Nuremburg. In the mid-1600s, the city instituted strict regulations governing the production of the confection.

Until the advent of industrialization, Lebkuchen was made by hand. Even today, many bakeries hand-create these specialties. The recipes used have been passed down from generation to generation. Main ingredients include honey, flour, sugar, eggs, nuts, candied citrus fruit, marzipan, and a variety of spices.

Modern-day variations may include almonds or other nuts, orange or lemon zest, or a chocolate covering. Lebkuchen also takes the form of the edibleHexenhaus (witch's house), also known as Hansel and Gretel's house after the famed Grimm's fairy tale of the same name.