Lebkuchen Cookies - German Cookie that improves with age.

1 Pint Molasses
1/2 lb Brown Sugar
1/8 lb Butter
1-1/2 Orange (juice and rind)
1-1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Soda
4-5 lbs. All Purpose Flour
1 cup Mixed candied fuit
1 cup Chopped Pecans

for the icing
3 cups Powdered Sugar
7 tsp. Boiling water
1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice

Bring the molasses to a boil, and add the brown sugar, butter and baking
soda. (Cook in a large pan, the mixture will foam up when you add the
baking soda). Allow the mixture to cool.
In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, cloves, salt and baking soda with one cup
flour.
Using a food processor, chop the candied fruit into small pieces.
Also grind the oranges in the food processor.
Pour molasses mixture into a 5 quart mixing bowl (I use a Kitchen Aide
mixer with a dough-hook). Add the spice and flour mixture and the
chopped fruit and begin mixing. I have also stirred the batter by
hand. Use a good strong spoon, because the batter gets very thick.
Continue adding flour a cup at a time until the batter is the
consistancy of very thick biscuit dough. You can turn the dough out
onto a floured board, knead and roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut the cookies with your favorite round cookie cutter; or use a cookie
dipper (Like a small ice cream dipper) to drop the cookies on lightly
greased cookie sheets. Then take a flat bottomed glass, dipped in
flour to press the cookie out to 1/4 inch thickness.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. This will make
approximately 86 cookies rolled or 65 cookies dropped.

Mix all ingredients for the icing together until smooth. Ice tops of
cookies, using a pastrybrush while still warm.
When completly cooled, store in metal tins, with layers of wax paper
between them.

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